


Growing Up Fast

by dondena



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 1987)
Genre: Experimental pregnancy, F/M, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-15 00:49:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 42,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15401286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dondena/pseuds/dondena
Summary: Donatello is captured and put through a life changing experiment. Afterwards, he and his brothers are put to the test, dealing with the chore of having to grow up fast.This was an idea of mine made a long time ago with a friend, now known as Laabsinthi on fanfiction.net.





	1. Chapter 1

The scientist was not known. He wanted to remain that way. No one even knew his name or what he looked like. The few assistant scientists he had working for him called him ‘Sir;’ that is what he answered to. All that they could gather on him was that he was tall. Very tall. And had a distinctive feminine voice, though the undertone was male. 

The ones that worked with him saw him as a strange scientist . His test subjects never saw him either, even as he worked on them. He never killed his subjects. He would run the tests, get what he wanted, then returned them to where ever they were taken from. He studied anything and everything. His interest changed every so often. And right now he was interested in four reptiles. 

His spies told him that these reptiles were not normal reptiles. They were four anthropomorphic turtles. They could stand up on their hind legs and walk like a human. That wasn’t all either. They could talk and fight. In fact, something had taught them martial arts. Each carried a weapon. That was not the most amazing thing that he was told. They had names, had personalities, and were very much like teenagers. 

He watched the monitor that played surveillance tapes from where he had cameras placed in the most visited places that the reptiles visited. He watched as they fought with their many enemies. 

Over the months he watched them, he found out that they were the only ones of their kind. Many like them had been made, but it was always in a rush, so the intelligence was lowered. These reptiles had grown up very much like human children. It took longer to find out who had raised and taught them. A Japanese man that was once leader of a group called ‘The Foot,’ a Hamato Yoshi. He was once human but then turned into a anthropomorphic rat. He had found the turtles when they were covered in a ‘ooze’ that transformed them into their present selves. He had no interest in the man, now rat. 

Transforming humans into animals had also been done. 

No, his interest laid in the turtles themselves. One in particular. He was the smartest out of all of them. Surely he could appreciate the wonder and the attempt of saving them. All this man wanted was a few tests and even save these poor beings from extinction.

It was unfortunate that there had been no females that were transformed. Did these Turtles ever think about the fact that they were alone in the world? That they are and possibly the only and last of their kind? The possibility that they could procreate with human females were slim and even if they could, there wasn’t many that would agree. The socialites’ high morals on bestially hung over their heads. It didn’t matter how human-like they seemed. More people saw them as animals than not. After all, didn’t they start out as animals?

So, to satisfy his curiosity and to help these magnificent creatures he began work in a project that many saw as immoral and unnatural.

Sir sat at his desk, going over all the plans he had pulled together. It had taken two months of planning to get where he was. Hiring the people to catch the turtle, to transport him safely without harming him, and without his brothers finding out he was missing until it was too late. He double checked the holding cell and the tables. He also knew even before he could do any experiments on him, Sir would have to see which would be the best tranquilizers. There were many kinds but he didn’t want any that the turtle could have an allergic reaction to. He figured a light dose of a local sedative would work. 

The men he had hired were not skilled fighters and this turtle was. Sir only hoped that the sedative and the sheer numbers would help bring in the turtle. The only thing left to do was to get the turtle. 

He had to wait until the turtle was alone and that was harder than thought possible. He usually had either one or all his brothers with him or one of the few human friends that they had made. The spies he had sent out forever watched them. 

Finally it was on one night in early fall when Sir’s spies spotted the turtle leaving the sewers that made up their home. 

The voice crackled in over the radio. “Sir…we have spotted one of the turtles. He is now entering a ‘Vinnie's Pizzeria’.” 

Sir was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands when the voice spoke to him. He snapped his head up and grabbed the radio. “Good. Can you tell which one it is?” 

“I can’t tell, Sir…they all look the same.” The voice replied.

“Idiots. All this time and you still can’t tell them apart? The one I want wears a purple bandana, you get purple. Is he wearing one?”

There was a pause. “Yes. This turtle is wearing a purple bandana.”

Sir let out a breath. “Good. Good. Now you have your orders. Take him but don’t harm him. I repeat DO NOT HARM HIM! If he had so much as a scratch it will be all of you on the table!”

“Y-yes, Sir.” 

“Also do not underestimate him and do not allow him to reach the sewers. He has the advantage there.” Sir stood up and stared at the table that would soon hold the turtle. “Now capture him and be careful of him.” He clicked the radio off and began to set up his equipment. 

X 

Donatello hugged the five pizzas to his plastron as he breathed in the spicy scent of the pizzas. It was one of the best things about it being his turn for the pizza run. He got to breathe in something better then the stink of the sewer. Just because he lived in the sewer all his life didn’t mean it smelled like roses. He set the boxes down so he could move the manhole cover, but before he could even begin to lift it, multiple figures raced down the alley. He stood back up fast and just barely had time to draw his bo. They hit hard and fast. 

He didn’t even have time to utter a single word as they raced around him. Finally, he decided he had had enough and turned to run to get some distance between him and the dark figures. 

As he ran, it ran through his mind as to who it could be. It wasn’t the Foot. The ones that had remained on Earth after Shredder and Krang were banished to Dimension X had disbanded and Dregg was long gone. These humans weren’t good fighters at all, but they didn’t even seem to want to fight. In fact, they were using the sheer numbers to overpower him. 

They kept slamming against him. For every one he took down with his bo, kicks and punches, two more moved in. Finally, having been herded into a corner, his breathing came in ragged gasps. He held his bo and glared at the humans’ defiance that surrounded him. 

Suddenly he felt a prick in his upper arm. Donatello’s vision blurred and went black, he collapsed with a groan on his side, limp, and unmoving. The figures quickly approached him. One dropped down and paused before he touched Donatello’s throat, then pulled his hand away.

“Finally.” He pulled out the radio. “Sir? We got him. He‘ll arrive in one hour.”

Sir collapsed into his chair and wiped his forehead. “Thank God.” He breathed out a sigh of relief.


	2. Chapter 2

“Sheesh, where is Donatello? He should’ve been back with the pizzas by now!” Michelangelo complained from his spot by the small TV. 

Master Splinter was silently sitting in his chair, a worried expression on his face. Leonardo was pacing nervously, Michelangelo was alternating between staring at the clock, the TV and complaining, and Raphael was drumming his fingers against the couch arm. Finally, Michelangelo jumped up. He had never outgrown his impatience. “That’s it, dudes! I’m looking for him.”

“Not a bad idea, Michelangelo,“ Leonardo said as he stopped pacing. 

“What about me?!” Raphael said, bouncing up from the couch. 

“You stay here." And he turned to Raphael. "You wait here with Master Splinter just in case he is just slow getting back.” Leo said.

Raphael let out a very long, drawn out whine at this. “What am I, a housewife?! So unfair.” He mumbled as he watched his brothers strap on their weapons and walk out the door.

Two dark figures ran through the back alley. They had searched the sewers that Donatello would’ve taken without any sign of him. Heading to Vinnie's Pizzeria, they took the back alley from there to the nearest manhole. That is where they saw the stack of pizzas. They were scattered and a dog was already eating some of it. 

Leonardo lifted the lid of one of them. It was cold when he touched it. Without a word, Leo pointed in one direction. 

Michelangelo nodded and took off in that direction, all playfulness gone. Someone had messed with their pizza, and more importantly, their brother.

Leo began to search in the opposite direction, not finding anything. He was just about to retrace his steps back to the manhole and cold pizzas when Michelangelo’s low surfer’s drawl called out. 

"Leonardo!“ Michelangelo’s voice shouted. 

“What?! And be quiet, Michel-.” He chastised his brother as he ran toward the orange masked turtle. 

Michelangelo ran the rest of the way, an old worn fedora and Donatello‘s bo staff in his hands. He stared at the items in horror. He felt the blood drain from his face.

"Oh...no..." he breathed. “Where did you find it?“ Michelangelo stumbled back and led Leonardo to the back wall, where he had found his brother’s hat and bo. Leonardo looked around in the dark and then his fingers bumped against something hard and he closed his fingers around the item. It felt all too familiar. He straightened up, holding Donatello's turtle com.

"I'll... call and..." Leonardo said as he stared at the turtle com. Michelangelo let out a curious whine as he walked around the area, desperately searching for Donatello. 

Meanwhile, Leonardo called and warned his other brother and Master Splinter. By the time he got off the phone, Michelangelo was staring down at Donatello's bo staff and hat that he refused to set down. Leonardo sighed and walked up to his brother.

"He's not here... whoever did-... they took him..." Michelangelo whispered. 

"We'll find him," Leonardo replied gently.

XX

Donatello groaned as he came to. He tried to stretch out, but found that he couldn't move more than a few inches. His throat and chest felt like they were on fire. Donatello moved his head a little to look around. He couldn't see much, just dark walls of a large room. 

There was enough light that he could tell that it had no windows. He could hear what sounded like beeping. He lifted his head again and looked down. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he could see that he was strapped down. He saw that he was hooked up to a heart monitor, an IV was put into his right hand.

“Ah, good you're awake.” A soft voice came from behind him. It sounded a lot like a woman’s, but only the deeper undertone kept it from being completely female. 

Donatello squirmed, instinctively fighting the straps binding his wrists, knees, and ankles.

“You won’t get loose,” the voice said.

Donatello froze, a shiver running through him. Then began to fight more. A hand on his shoulder had made him flinch.

“Easy there. I’m not going to hurt you…” 

Donatello stopped, his chest heaving in slight panic. Finally, his heart slowed when he made himself calm down. He then began to focus on his surroundings, trying to see if there was a way for him to get loose. He focused on that particular problem that he forgot about the man behind him. He jumped when he felt hands on his sensitive side. The hands pressed and prodded his right side. He bit his tongue to keep from laughing.

“Stop it…” He hissed. 

“I’m sorry, but I needed to check the injection site. It has healed nicely.” The man said as he pulled his hands away. “Thirsty, Donatello?” Asked the man. He had walked back in front of Donatello. 

He tried to focused on the man’s face, but the man had a contraption on his face that shone two bright lights from the side of where his temples would be. The only thing that Donatello could tell was that this man was tall and very thin. There wasn’t even much of a scent to the man. As if he wasn’t even there. But the light shining in Donatello’s brown eyes was real enough. 

He swallowed, but didn’t answer. To his shock, the man lifted a cup to his mouth, tipping it so he could drink. He swallowed the water greedily, sucking in as much as he could before the cup was pulled away.

“I figured as much. I would give you more, but too much will make you sick. You're still woozy I’m sure. You’re probably hungry by now as well, but you would only get sick. You’ll eat later.” The man turned, giving Donatello a clear view of his back. Short, blond hair was all that Donatello could tell that the man had.

The water helped the dryness in his throat, though the water set like lead in his belly, but it made him more aware. Aware enough to the fact that the man had spoken his name. “Ho-how did you know my name?” He asked, his voice stronger now.

“I know a lot about you. How you came to be, who cared and trained you in Ninjitsu and that you have three other brothers. Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael. I know more, but how I know these things is not important. Why is and why you are here will be explained shortly. Right now, it is late and I need to move you to a cell. You are going to be here a long time and I can’t have you developing bed sores.”

Donatello stared hard at the man. “So no dissection? Just a lab animal to study? I am not a science project!” He struggled against the straps again. “You will let me go!”

“I’m sorry, Donatello. I will let you go, but right now, you will stay here and try to make the best of it.” He disappeared from view and Donatello felt himself moving forward. The man was moving the table that he was strapped to. It was a short trip as he was pushed half way into a room. 

It was set up like any other room. A bed with tan blankets and a pillow. A white screen quartered off the room and there were books and even a TV encased into the wall. The three walls were painted a light green. The straps loosened and Donatello was quick to push away from the table. He turned back to see the table be pulled back out and the door slam shut. 

The front of the room, he found out was much like a prison’s doors. He grabbed the bars and glared at the man that had already turned and was walking away.

“Hey! Hey, wait! You can’t leave me like this!” cried Don, pushing desperately against the bars. The man didn’t even look back.


	3. Chapter 3

Sir sat at his desk and watched the video of the turtle as he paced in his cell. Once he had the turtle in his grasp and did the ultrasound did he realize that the internal organs were still a lot like a normal turtle’s. There wasn’t much room and Sir had to sit down and rethink where he was going to place the embryo.

He had two that he was able to grow in the two months of planning. He had gotten his hands on human egg cells. Out of ten that he and his team worked with, only two had survived the DNA merging. He had taken red eared slider DNA and isolated the vector DNA, then the vector DNA was cut with restriction enzymes. When the sticky ends were formed, the DNA was then cut with the same restriction enzyme, but the restriction enzyme that produced blunt ends also work well in cloning. The vector and source DNA are mixed with a ligase system and covalently bonded together. Finally, the legated DNA was injected into the human’s egg, then frozen to wait upon Donatello’s arrival.

But once he had his hands on Donatello, he had found out his current problem. He sighed and looked over the x-rays and ultrasound pictures he had taken of Donatello while he was still under the effects of the tranquilizer. He was just about to push the papers aside when one caught his eye. It was an ultrasound of Donatello’s lower belly. The high powered machine had a clear view. It showed all the way to the spine.

He pulled it closer and studied it. ‘ _That looks like a good, clear window right there. There's plenty of room to hold the embryo.’_ He thought. ‘ _Now if at least one of those eggs survives the fertilizing and the next week, while I begin the hormonal treatment. I’ve already given a high dosage earlier. The rest will have to be given orally. I can give it to him through food. Not the best way, but I have no choice. To give him an injection every day would stress him and me out too much.’_

Sir looked over at the small monitor that recorded everything that the turtle did. “I’ll give him something to do. Those books and the TV won’t hold his interest long.”  
…………………

Donatello let out an annoyed groan. He had looked over the cell from top to bottom and he could find no way to escape the cell. He had even tried to see if there was a way to pull the TV out and somehow make a small explosive to loosen the sides of the sliding door, but the TV was firmly set into the wall and he couldn’t even break the screen.

He turned away from the bars and sat down on the bed. The room was large enough without making him too claustrophobic. About twenty by twenty. He lifted his head and looked over at the clock that he had spotted near the room. In the light that was coming from his room, he saw that it was well past midnight.

“I wonder if the others have started looking for me?” He let out a small scoff. “Of course they have. I was bringing back dinner tonight.” Donatello sweated nervously.

This was not good. He had to get out of here, and the sooner, the better. His mind wracked with finding a solution to this dilemma. He had nothing. He wrinkled his snout and felt like crying. He then gave up with a disgusted sigh and decided to see how this progressed in the morning.

Standing up, he walked over to the light switch that he had found upon his inspection of the cell. He paused then flicked it off and headed back to the bed and laid down on it, resting his thudding head against the pillow.

XX

“Good morning, Donatello!” The soft voice woke him.

Donatello gritted his teeth and felt his temper and annoyance rise. It had been a week since he was captured and placed into the cell. He was bored out of his mind.

The scientist had tried to give him things to work on, but when he had discovered that Donatello was trying to use them for an escape, he took all the tools and scrape wires and odds and ends away and just made sure Donatello was well supplied in books. It annoyed him to no end and made him feel like a disobedient child. That wasn’t all that was getting to him.

The scientist had not told him why he was there or when he would release him. And not only that, but Donatello had come to the conclusion that something was happening to him.

His mood would change so fast that it worried him. One minute he was his normal calm something silly self, the next, he felt like screaming. It wasn’t until he was watching a monster movie half heartily and began to cry. It was then that the scientist had walked in and nodded. He had then leaned against the wall beside Donatello’s cell and told him that tomorrow would be life changing for him.

Donatello had dried his tears and glared at the man that had no name and no face. No matter how hard he tried to see the man, he couldn’t. The man always had the light contraption on his face and whenever someone went to look up into the man’s face, the lights would blind them.

“What do you mean?” Donatello had snapped. His temperament had changed drastically.

The man had chuckled lightly and just shook his head. “You’ll find out.” He said, then left Donatello alone again.

So today was apparently the day. Donatello was ready. He didn’t know how they would move him, but he wouldn’t make it easy for them. Donatello was ready for them and took a defensive stance.

“Now, now, Donatello. You don’t have to make this so hard.” The scientist said, his hand on the door.

“Yes I do. Now bring it!”

“So be it.”

A short young woman took the scientist’s place and aimed a small gun at him. A series of darts pierced the right side of his neck. Donatello knocked a few out of the air and his neck, but the drugs were already starting to work and he finally fell to the floor and was still.

Sighing, a look of pity befell Sir’s face as he shook his head. He opened the door and kneeled by Donatello’s side and he listened to Donatello’s ragged breathing. He nodded and rolled Donatello over onto his back.

Donatello wasn’t completely under, but he couldn’t move. All he could do was lay there and stare up into the air. Lights shined into his face and he closed his eyes. The lights were then gone and he slowly opened his eyes as he felt himself be moved over onto a flat table, then it raised and he was rolled out of the cell that held him for the past week.

Sir knew that Donatello was still awake, but not for long. He would soon fall asleep and that’s when Sir would begin. Within five minutes, Donatello was asleep and his two assistants brought in the two surviving embryos.

They were just smaller than the size of a grain of rice. They were growing fast and Sir couldn’t wait any longer. Each one was in a syringe that held a mix of fluid that was found in the birthing sac and extra hormones. As one of the assistants moved an ultrasound probe over the right side of Donatello’s belly, Sir pressed on the thick leather like skin.

“All right. Let's find the spot. Let's see here. Side peritoneal cavity. There. That looks like a good, clear window right there. There's plenty of room to hold the embryo. That's it.”

Sir took one of the syringes and gently inserted about six inches of the thick needle into Donatello’s side. “There, all done.” He removed the needle and stood back.

“Uh, Sir… what about the other one?” The female assistant held up the second surviving embryo.

Sir stared at the pink fluid and the man shrugged. “Let’s place it on his other side. If I remember correctly, there should be room there as well.” They moved to the other side and repeated the process.

When they were done and had Donatello moved back into his cell, right before he left the room, he smiled and nodded toward Donatello. “Congratulations. You are now a father and a mother.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

Leonardo paced back and forth in their lair. He was wracking his brain, trying to think of where his purple loving brother was. It had now been two weeks; the two weeks of searching took and showed its toll on them all.

"Leonardo," said Raphael gently, weariness showing clearly on his frame. They were all tired, but Leonardo had hardly eaten or slept since Donatello was taken. Leonardo didn't respond right away. "Bro, you need sleep and something to eat." said Raphael firmly.

"NO! NOT UNTIL I FIND DONATELLO!" shouted Leonardo, stopping and clenching his fists. 

Raphael took a shocked step back, eyes wide.

Leonardo sat down, and dropped his head into his hands. He knew that he was supposed to be sleeping. It was Splinter’s and Michelangelo’s turn to search the city while he and Raphael rested from their own ten hour search. He stayed like that, not even noticing the door open and his sensei and brother walked in with April. 

He heard them whispering and suddenly a plate with a slice of pizza dropped down in front of him. His head shot up and began to stand. Strong furred hands pushed him back down and one word sounded around him.

"Eat!" 

Leonardo looked up to see April standing with her arms crossed, her small mouth in a cross between a frown and a pout, Michelangelo standing beside her, munching on a slice of plain pizza. Master Splinter was in front, and Raphael off to his right. They looked dead serious. 

Leonardo muttered something quietly, but picked up the pizza. He chewed slowly, his mouth dry. As he chewed, he glanced back around at his family. Members of his family had gone missing before, but never this long and not knowing who or what was behind it. He knew that even if they found Donatello, the family would never be the same.

XX

Donatello glared at the figure of the man. 

Pregnant? Ha! As if. After he was knocked out and had regained consciousness, the man, whom he still never gotten a name from had come in to see him and had told him that he was now carrying two embryos that he had injected into him. 

Donatello didn’t want to believe it, he didn’t believe it. He didn’t even worry about it. He had to get out of there. Two weeks. He knew because every three days there was some kind of test. Blood test, blood pressure tests, the works. He knew that his bros must have been worried. And not only that, he knew that if he didn’t get out soon, he would lose his mind, which was something he was very proud of. 

Donatello shifted uneasily, he hated this cage. His plan. The one that he had been working on for the past three days was soon to be in motion. He had been studying the hinges on the bars and found that they could be loosened easily with the right amount of patience and the butter knife he had snitched a few days ago. It was lucky that the kitchen had sent two butter knives last week. 

As much as he wanted out, he knew that he still had to wait and plan. So at every meal, he hid bits and pieces of butter from his meals. He would then wait until the camera that was focused on him and the room would turn away. He then would smear the three hinges with the butter. He did this every chance he got every time the camera turned. There was a five second interval. 

He waited until the last student had left and turned the lights down low. He clicked his own light out and five seconds later when the camera was facing toward the cage, a yellow glob flew out from the cage and hit the lens. Donatello knew he didn’t have long, but used his ninja training and strength to crack the hinges and pulled the hinges apart. He shoved the door back and ran out. 

Quickly, he looked around for a weapon. He saw a pipe coming out from the wall and easily ripped it out. He grinned lightly, though his eyes were hard. He began twirling it around.

“I‘ve fought with better, but I‘ve also fought with a lot less.” He said. He knew that he didn’t have time. Already he could hear people running toward the room that he was in.

He grabbed a metal tray, remembering that they loved shooting darts at him. Slowly, carefully, Donatello slipped out of the room. He heard the people running down the hallway, but from the sound of it, they still had a corner to turn. So Donatello turned and made his way down the other hall. 

He came to a door. ‘I hope this is the exit,’ he thought, turning the handle. It led to another hallway. Just as he started to head through, he heard voices behind him. 

He spun around and saw five humans running after him. He rolled his eyes. 

“Aw, nuts.” He mumbled as he turned back and began to run. He felt darts hit the back of his shell and bounce off. “Man, it’s good to be a turtle.” He said to himself as he continued to run. “But I better hurry up before they start to shoot at my legs or arms.”

“You idiots! He’s a turtle! You have to dart him where he’s not protected!” The voice rang out.

“Thanks for pointing that out, dope head.” Donatello snapped to himself. He whipped around and used the metal tray and deflected the darts. He looked back over his shoulder and saw a set of stairs. He jumped backwards and then took two steps at a time and came to an exit door. 

“Oh thank you!” He hit the handle and flew out the door. The cold air hit him but he ignored it. He used the tray and wedged it between the handle and took off again. 

The cold was slightly refreshing, but the early November snow was almost too cold on his feet. He saw from his surroundings that he was close to the docks. Rounding the corner, he almost ran into two huge men. 

"Damn turtle. Get him down so we can bag and tag him!" One of them growled. 

"With pleasure," The other one snickered, as he raised a gun.

Donatello steadied himself, and pulled his substitute bo up to bear. With an agile leap, he flew toward the two, moving in between their guns and fists. Now that Donatello had room to move, he dished out two weeks of frustration out on the two. 

The first one that had spoken barely had time to flinch in horror before Donatello brought his pipe across his jaw, knocking him out. He then jammed the pipe into the ground, and spun around it like a flag pole to deliver a double kick to the other‘s stomach, sending him tumbling back into the wall.

Donatello stopped and sent a slight grin in their direction and then looked back at the building that had held him for two weeks. He did a mocking salute, “So long Sir. I’d say that it’s been fun… but it hasn’t.” He ended in a deadpanned voice. He then turned his head to the setting sun and began to head to the nearest manhole cover, with one word on his mind. 

Home.

Sir watched Donatello go. While part of him wished he could send more people after him, he let the turtle go. He had won his freedom. 

“Should we send more men after him? We know where they are.” The voice of one of his assistants asked from behind him. 

Sir turned so that the lights on his head piece blinded the woman. “No, let him go. I wanted to keep him longer, but I couldn’t delay the imminent. He’ll find out soon enough   
that all I have told him will be true.”

“But if he does carry the fetuses full term, the birth will kill him and the children he is carrying.”

“Yes, it will, but Donatello’s a genius, even if he is in denial. He’ll figure something out.” Sir replied as he turned back to the monitor. 

“But… Sir… he is still, essentially a kid.” 

Sir sighed, “I know. I wish he was a little older, but that can’t be helped. But he is quite mature for his young age. Everything will be fine.”


	5. Chapter 5

Donatello ran through the sewers that he had grown up in. He had been gone only two weeks, but somehow, the sewers seemed different. He slowed as he came to a stop outside the main door to their lair. He paused then opened the door.

The TV was playing, but when he looked over at the TV, there was no one around it.

Donatello frowned and walked further into the lair. It was then that he noticed that Michelangelo was asleep in front of the TV on his knees with his nose buried into a slice of pizza.

Donatello smiled, but it faded fast when he began to think on what and how he was going to tell his family what happened. He began to move forward to see if any of his other brothers or Sensei was there when the door opened and Leonardo and Raphael walked in.

They were both quiet and seemed to drag as they hung their heads. Donatello walked up in front of them.

“Michelangelo, you're still supposed to be asleep.” Leonardo sighed, not raising his head.

“He is asleep. I however am very much awake and glad to be home.” Donatello said while smiling.

Both Raphael and Leonardo’s heads snapped up. “Donatello! Bro, you’re back!” Both of them didn’t even hesitate as they hugged their missing brother.

Donatello laughed, delighted to hug his brothers once more. “Hi, bros.” Donatello said joyfully to be home once more.

The laughter woke Michelangelo. He jerked awake and lifted his head and looked around sleepily. His eyes widened when they settled on Donatello. He jumped up and hopped over the couch and joined the group hug.

“I must be dreaming dudes.” Michelangelo lunged for his brothers. "Hey, bro! You're back! Group hug!"

"Oof!" Donatello was suddenly sandwiched between Leonardo and Raphael as the orange-clad turtle threw his arms around the three of them.

"It's great to have you back!"

"Th... Thanks, Michelangelo..." Donatello managed. He was being squashed between their plastrons. "I'm glad... to be... back..."

"Um, Michelangelo..." Leonardo said.

"Group hugs are the best. I love group hugs!" Michelangelo said, completely oblivious.

Donatello and Leonardo and Raphael all managed to pull themselves free from their brother's arms. Finally getting the hint, Michelangelo smiled sheepishly and let go. "Sorry, Bro. Just really glad you're back is all."

“Yes. We are all glad that you’re back, Donatello.” Master Splinter spoke up from behind them.

Donatello turned and offered Splinter a smile. “Thank you, Master Splinter.”

“Now, Donatello. I trust you will explain how you disappeared and where you have been?” Master Splinter continued.

Donatello grimaced inside as his brothers chorused their agreements.

XXX

Donatello settled into his bed. Even though it was wonderful that he was home, he still could not sleep. He burned with guilt at the lies he had told Splinter and his bros. He had kept it simple. That he was turtlenapped and taken to an unknown lab and that while he was there, tests were run on him. Donatello listed all the tests that were performed on him, but left out what Sir had done to him.

Tossing and turning, he tried to put it all out of his mind. He grimaced as he felt his stomach turn. Squeezing his eyes shut, he wheeled himself to sleep.

XXX

“What’s wrong, Donatello?”

“Huh?” Donatello looked up from the pizza he had been staring at for the past half hour. As he looked around, he realized that his brothers had already eaten their own pizza.

“I said, ‘What’s wrong Donatello?’ Sheesh! Did the scientist take out your ears?” Raphael rolled his eyes.

Leonardo looked closely at Donatello. “You haven’t touched your pizza. I remember last week when you came back, you said that you missed peanut butter and cheese pizzas, but you haven’t touched it.”

Donatello started to open his mouth, but was interrupted by Michelangelo.  
  
“Yeah dude, in fact, I haven’t seen you eat much at all.” The orange clad turtle said as he looked closely at his brother that was sitting across from him.

“I-I just haven’t been feeling too good. All the excitement from being back home I guess. Here Michelangelo, you eat it.” Donatello slid the pizza across to his brother.

“All right, dude!” Michelangelo grabbed the pizza and began to bite into it when the pizza was grabbed away by Raphael.

“No way. Donatello, you need to eat this.” Raphael passed the pizza back to Donatello.

Donatello looked down at the pizza and felt his stomach turn.

“Go on, eat.” Leonardo said as all eyes were on Donatello.

Feeling as though his arm was made out of lead, he lifted a slice of pizza and bit into it. He chewed and swallowed, but the moment it hit his stomach, he felt it come back up again. Clamping a hand over his mouth, he jumped up from the table and ran to the bathroom.

Heaving that little piece of pizza up along with all else he had eaten into the small toilet, Donatello couldn’t help but wrinkle his snout. He dimly heard his bros outside the door but he ignored them. After five good heaves and dozens of dry heaves, Donatello leaned against the wall, tired.

Finally, he shakily climbed to his feet and opened the door. He had hoped that his brothers had left, but they hadn’t. All three plus Splinter were waiting for him just outside the door.

“You alright, Bro?” All of them asked at once.

“Donatello, what is wrong, my student?” Splinter asked as he eyed Donatello.

“I’m just sick. It’s possibly just the stomach flu.” Donatello said as he felt his stomach turn again.

“Eww, dude. Then kept it to yourself." Michelangelo said as he put his hands up and backed away as Raphael did the same.

Donatello rolled his eyes then headed into his lab. He walked up to his bookshelves and looked over the titles. He paused at the biology book, Sir’s words ringing in his brain,   
‘ _You, Donatello, are now carrying two embryos. You are pregnant.’_

Donatello shuttered and pulled out the book and flipped it open.

“ _What is the first trimester (week 1-week 12)? During the first trimester, your body undergoes many changes. Hormonal changes affect almost every organ system in your body. These changes can trigger symptoms even in the very first weeks of pregnancy. Your period stopping is a clear sign that you are pregnant. Other changes may include:_

_Extreme tiredness_   
_Upset stomach with or without throwing up (morning sickness)_   
_Cravings or distaste for certain foods_

_As your body changes, you might need to make changes to your daily routine, such as going to bed earlier or eating frequent, small meals. Fortunately, most of these discomforts will go away as your pregnancy progresses. And some women might not feel any discomfort at all! If you have been pregnant before, you might feel differently this time around. Just as each woman is different, so is each pregnancy._ That’s enough!”

Donatello snapped the book closed with a huff, but as he replaced the book, he felt a moment of worry. What if? He needed to make sure, but how to do that? He needed to do a test. But he didn’t have the supplies to do a pregnancy test. He needed help and there was only one other person who could help and provide a private location to perform the test.

XXX  
  
In April’s bathroom, behind closed doors, Donatello paced back and forth in front of the counter. He kept himself moving as he tried not to focus on how slow time was moving... but it did nothing to keep his mind occupied. All he could do was wait.

Wait for a silly little stick to determine whether or not that Sir was right and defied laws of nature.

Earlier that night, Donatello had snuck out of the lair and to the nearest store. He had grabbed the first pregnancy test he saw and quickly paid for it all the while burning with embarrassment. From there it didn’t take him long before he was knocking on April’s door, asking her if he could use her bathroom.

She had looked at him funny but said sure. She had been over to the lair almost every day since he had disappeared and since he had been back. She had fussed over him, hugging and kissing his cheeks. She followed him to the bathroom and before he had gone in, she had asked if everything was alright. He had shrugged and told her he would tell her everything soon. Closing the door, he tore open the box and began to read the directions.  
  
Ten minutes later, Donatello's eyes widened as he brought the stick close to his eyes to make sure he was not misreading the result.

_Pregnant._

”April!” His voice called out high and scared.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Donatello sat on April’s couch, his head in his hands. He felt like the world was crashing down. The scientist was right. Somehow, he had artificially impregnated him. How was he going to tell his brothers? Something like this he couldn’t hide for long no matter how hard he tried.

“Come on, Donatello. What do you mean you’re pregnant? How? You’re a male, that is impossible!” April said as she paced in front of him.  
  
“It sounds impossible, but not really is.” Donatello said, not lifting his head. “Some species of reptiles can change gender, thus becoming pregnant.”

“But you haven’t changed gender have you?”

Donatello’s head shot up. “No! Of course not! Female hormones and the fact that some reptiles can change their gender more then likely played a cause in this. Plus advanced genetics.”

“O-ok. Fine. So you told me how this happened… Donatello… what are you going to tell your brothers and Master Splinter?” April asked as she stopped pacing and stood in front of Donatello.

Donatello’s green face paled. “Oh no. What am I going to do? How am I going to tell them?” He began to fall back into the panic "Oh, no..." Donatello said, his eyes wide with panic as he bent over, clutching his stomach. "No... no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

April sighed as she saw Donatello rapidly fall into a gloom. She dropped to her knees and hugged Donatello. "Donatello, it's going to be okay. Everything's going to be fine."

Donatello shook his head and tried to keep from hyperventilating. "No... for all my brains, there is no way out of this. April, how do you women handle unwanted pregnancies?”

Donatello knew he could think this through, but panic had set in and he couldn’t think clearly.

April pulled back and looked at Donatello thoughtfully. “I've never been pregnant so I don’t know. There are many things, but none are really safe. You need a doctor. But you also need to tell your brothers and Master Splinter. He can help.”

“No,” Donatello shook his head. “No, not right now.” Donatello sat back down and dropped his head into his hands again. “I’ll tell them later. Right now, I need time to think.” He looked back up at April. “April, I know it has been awhile, but can I stay here tonight?”

April looked shocked, but she nodded. “Of course, Donatello, but I think you should call your brothers and Master Splinter and tell them where you are.”

“Yes, April.” Donatello pulled out his turtle com and April went about gathering blankets and pillows. He dialed Leonardo’s number. It wasn’t long before his brother’s face appeared on the com.

“Donatello, where are you? And when did you leave the lair?” Leonardo asked as he narrowed his dark eyes at his brother.

“I’m at April’s. I had to do some things and I promised her that I’d take a look at her furnace. I just may stay over.” Donatello told his brother, feeling bad about lying to him.

“I really don’t like that, Donatello.”

“Leonardo, I’m not a baby.” Donatello said sharply, then huffed and closed the turtle com. He knew that this was not like him and he blamed Sir for that. Sir had changed everything for him. Donatello sat there brooding and didn’t notice that April had placed the extra blankets and pillows on one side of the couch. He continued to sit there, staring down at the turtle com in his hand.

She stood beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t acknowledge the touch, but tuned her out. He began to tune everything out.

“Sleep well, Donatello.” April said, then backed away, heading to her room.

Donatello didn’t hear her. He continued to sit there and stare at the turtle com. Questions ran through his mind. Questions needed answers. Finally, Donatello blinked and looked around. It was late and tomorrow, he needed to begin the plan on dealing with his pregnancy.

XXX

The next day, Donatello was up early and looking through files and books about pregnancy. April left him alone, though she watched him closely. She couldn’t believe that her sweet green friend was pregnant. She already knew that she would be there for him; she only hoped that when he decided to tell his family, that they would be there for him as well.

Donatello had thought through the night. The only way to stop the pregnancy was through abortion. It was a cruel way, but he didn’t know how he would be able to carry the embryos. Who knows why Sir had artificially impregnated him, but it couldn’t be good.

He had read through the pros and cons of abortion and he figured that it would be the only choice. _‘Besides,’_ he thought. _‘I’m no female, how would I have it? And who can I trust with this? I’m an engineer, not a doctor. I'm also a scientist.’_

A doctor!

Michelangelo is friends with that veterinarian woman, Dr. Jane Goodfellow.

“April!” Donatello closed the book he had been looking through.  
  
April jumped and looked over at Donatello. “What is it, Donatello?”

“I know who I can go to and trust. Dr. Jane Goodfellow!” Donatello said.

“Good idea, Donatello. Let me call her.” April walked over to the phone and picked it up, dialing the animal clinic that Dr. Goodfellow worked at.

Donatello turned away and walked from April’s study and into the living room. As he walked through the room, he paused in front of a full-length mirror. He turned and looked at himself in the mirror, or mostly at his stomach. He turned his head and stared hard at himself. It was hard to believe that he, a male turtle, almost human, was pregnant.  
  
“Donatello?” April’s voice sounded behind him.  
  
He turned and looked up at her. “Yes?”  
  
“I have some bad news. Dr. Goodfellow is gone until the first of December. She’s in Los Angeles. You’ll just have to wait. I’m sorry, Donatello.” April said.

Donatello sighed. “That’s alright. It’ll give me time to think. I think I can hide this from my bros. Splinter it may be harder… but I’ll have to try.” Donatello sighed and looked at the time. He couldn’t stay at April’s forever. He had to get home sometime.

“Thanks, April, for everything, but I better get home.” Donatello said as he took a deep breath.

“Anytime, Donatello. Remember, I’ll be here if you need me.”  
  
Donatello nodded and moved to the window to begin his journey back home.

 


	7. Chapter 7

The week before Jane Goodfellow came back from Los Angeles was a nightmare for Donatello. Life in the lair returned to normal for his brothers, but for him, every day was a challenge. 

He found it harder to control his morning sickness. Then a day after he got back from April’s, he found out that he didn’t want pizza at all. In fact, he had the strangest craving for fish and milk. He didn’t even like fish that well and he preferred soda over milk. 

That wasn’t even the worse thing for him. He had no patience to read, build machines, or watch TV with his bros. He tried to hide this disinterest by staying in his lab. He would just sit there staring off into space. Michelangelo and Raphael paid no attention to this, but ever since Donatello had gotten back, Leonardo had been watching him like a hawk. Leonardo watched Donatello’s odd behavior, though he didn’t say anything about it. 

It wasn’t until two days before Dr. Goodfellow was due to come back, that Raphael was the first to find out just how strange Donatello had become. He had been rough housing with Michelangelo and his turtle com had been the poor victim. Raphael had lazily strolled into Donatello’s lab and tapped his brother on the shell. 

“Hey, Donatello. I kinda had an accident, bro.” He said while tossing the device on the table in front of his brother.

Donatello picked up the com and turned to face Raphael. “What did you do?!” His sweet gentle voice was low and dark, sounding almost like when he had been the Dark Turtle a few years back. 

Raphael ignored it, but yawned instead. “I was wrestling with Michelangelo and the com was crushed. So can you fix it, bro?”

"Oh, I'll fix it alright," Donatello growled. With his hands out, the turtle com still in his hand, Donatello rushed at Raphael. 

Raphael stood shocked for a second before his ninja instincts kicked in and he braced himself for the hit. Donatello was not the best fighter in the group, but it didn’t mean he was weak, especially when anger and hormones and stress fueled him. 

Raphael easily flipped Donatello over his head, but Donatello leaped back up and came at Raphael again.

"What's going on?" Leonardo’s voice asked from the doorway. He had heard the noise and went to investigate. 

"I don't know," Raphael admitted helplessly as he struggled with Donatello. “Donatello’s lost one too many screws this time.”

Splinter and Michelangelo pushed their way into the room to be welcomed with the sight of Donatello and Raphael beating the snot out of each other. Both brothers grappled with each other--their arms and legs green blurs as they kicked and punched each other, each trying to get the upper hand.

"Stop this!" Master Splinter’s voice rose above the racket. 

Without saying a word to each other, Leonardo and Michelangelo leapt into action... Leonardo grabbing a hold of Raphael with Michelangelo grabbing a hold of Donatello, then each pulling them away from each other.

"Break it up!" Leonardo shouted as he braced himself against his struggling brother.

Splinter darted in between the two brothers both his hand up. "Now my students… would either of you explain what happened?"

"Don't look at me," Raphael scoffed. "I just asked Donatello if he could fix my turtle com and he just attacked me."

Just as Splinter turned to Donatello, they were all surprised at Donatello’s face. One minute it was the mast of rage, but the second he looked down at the crushed turtle com in his hand, he began to cry. 

Michelangelo was so shocked at this that his grip loosened and Donatello slid out of his hands and fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. 

Splinter then began to shoo his students out of the room. Once out, he knelt by Donatello. “Now, my student. What is wrong?”

Donatello held out his hand, showing the poor turtle com. “It was crushed… Master Splinter… wh-what did it ev-ev-ever do to Raphael?” 

Master Spinster had to blink, “Donatello, I don’t think that is any reason to attack your brother.”

Donatello looked up, his dark eyes wide. “But it is de-defenseless… a baby!”

Before Splinter could answer to this, Michelangelo knocked on the door and then walked in holding a pizza. “Hey, dude. I know that you have been feeling kinda down… so I had this simple cheese pizza heated up.”

Donatello looked and gave his bro a half smile, but shook his head. “No thanks, bro. But tell me…” he wiped his tears away, “why do we always have pizza?”

“What! You can’t tell me you don’t like pizza anymore?” Michelangelo shoved the pizza under Donatello’s nose.

Donatello’s eyes widened and he shoved the pizza back and jumped up and ran off to the bathroom gagging.

Xxx

“Hey bros…” Michelangelo began as he ate the pizza. They were all standing outside the bathroom door while they waited for Donatello to come back out. Michelangelo stood far enough to the side so that he didn’t hear the gagging and barfing sounds that admitted from the bathroom. “Isn’t Donatello acting rather strange?” 

Before any of them could answer, Donatello opened the door, looking greener than usual and tired. He looked up at the sight of them gathered around the door. “What, you all like listening to someone throw up?” 

His eyes stared at them all, but he blanched when his eyes fell on Michelangelo eating the pizza. He sniffed, then gagged again and ran back into the bathroom, slamming the door.

“Uh bros… another thing I just noticed other then him acting strange, that even though he is throwing up a lot… doesn’t he seem to be getting a little thicker around the waist?” Raphael asked as he leaned back against the wall. 

“Now that you mentioned it… yeah he does. What do you think, Master Splinter?” Leonardo asked, turning to his teacher.

Master Splinter shook his furry head. “I do not know, Leonardo. But I think that Donatello knows something that he is not telling us.” Splinter narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the door that hid one of his students.


	8. Chapter 8

Every day became harder for Donatello to hide his pregnancy. His midsection was slowly becoming rounder. His once hard plastron plates had become flexible. They were still hard, but they were beginning to yield. It began to worry him. He had read that women don’t even begin to show at five weeks, and here he was, already showing. 

Thankfully, nausea and fatigue were going away, though he still couldn’t stomach pizza. His craving for fish and milk grew stronger until he began to swipe pieces of sushi from Splinter’s sushi tray. 

He also tried to hide a lot from his ever-continuing curious brothers and sensei. He had begun to see them sneaking peeks at him when he wasn’t looking. One time he even caught Leonardo staring intently at him, or at least his slightly rounder stomach. 

Donatello had cleared his throat, causing Leonardo to look up into Donatello’s eyes. Donatello had narrowed his eyes as he stared into Leonardo’s. He was being defiant he knew, but if he could just keep this in hiding until he saw Goodfellow, he would relax much easier. 

When he finally noticed that all of them and not just Leonardo staring at him, he began to hide it by donning a wider belt and keeping his arms crossed. It made him look moodier and if it hadn’t been for April’s continued visits and invites to her apartment, even throwing the idea of a Christmas pizza party to them helped distract his brothers away from him. 

In the two weeks before Goodfellow was due back, April helped Donatello a lot. He found himself feeling alone and closer to April more than ever. He knew that it was due to the stress and the female hormones that his body was now producing. Sometimes, April would hold him as he cried. She never said a word, only held him. Her being there helped him more than he cared to think. 

He also couldn’t help but notice things he had never thought of before. Yes, he was a genius, but he also was a teenager. He had loved to goof off as much as his brothers, though he would still get easily distracted by something new, especially if it was in junction with technology. 

But now as he awaited Goodfellow to return to New York, he couldn’t help but see everything in a different light. His brothers were growing up, though they were still as silly as ever. 

April had the biggest change. No longer did she try to use them to rise to the top as a reporter, but she had let go of that part of her life. She had been a good reporter, but she had found her calling as a freelance writer. She wasn’t as whiny as she once was. 

As Donatello was reflecting on all of this, his turtle com began to beep. Donatello lifted his head from his lab table where he had been resting it. Pulling it out, he clicked it open to see April’s face. “What’s up, April?” He asked.

“How you feeling, Donatello?” She asked.

“Depressed. I hate hiding this from the others. Any word from Dr. Goodfellow?” Donatello asked as he gave a sigh.

“Yes, that’s why I was calling. She gave me a call just now. She’s due to arrive tomorrow morning. She said that she got my message. I told her that it was due to you guys. She said to give her a call about ten in the morning tomorrow. I didn’t tell her what it was about.” April told him.

“Oh, thank you, April. You don’t know how much you’ve helped.” Donatello said, tears in his eyes as he felt his mood change. He wiped them way. He hated these hormonal feelings. 

“Anytime, Donatello.” She paused, “Do you want me to go with you tomorrow?” 

Donatello nodded his head. “Would you?”

“Of course, Donatello. Just give me a call whenever you’re ready. I’ve got to go, I’ve got this deadline due soon, so see you later.” April’s face then blacked out.

Donatello closed the com and set it down. Dr. GoodFellow was due to be back the next day and soon the whole thing will be over and it’ll only be a dream. Everything could go back to normal. Donatello repeated this over and over in his head, though he had the oddest feeling of guilt in the back of his mind.

XXX

After a disastrous morning of sparring and then barely keeping breakfast down due to nerves, ten o’clock finally came. Donatello emitted an excuse and took off before anyone could say anything.

Once he was away and made sure he wasn’t followed, he pulled out his turtle com and dialed Goodfellow’s number that April had given him. After three rings, the woman picked up. "Hello, Dr. Goodfellow speaking."

"Dr. Goodfellow, it's me, Donatello, Michelangelo’s brother. I need your help really bad."

The woman was quiet for a second. Donatello knew that she was trying to remember him. Michelangelo she knew well, but the others not so much. “Ah yes, Donatello. The turtle that wears purple. So, you sound so worried. What's wrong?" She asked.

"I came across some… trouble and I’m in need of a doctor. Michelangelo trusts you and I don’t know that many humans that are not a doctor or scientist… one that’s not crazy anyway..." Donatello trailed off.

"I’d love to help. I have some free time now. Can you come in?” Dr. Goodfellow said, willing to help.

“Yes. April O’Neil will bring me. Thank you.” Donatello said.

“No problem.” The African American woman hung up.

Quickly as he could he called April and she agreed to pick him up on the corner. The drive to the zoo’s animal clinic was quiet. The place was full as it was on a Friday morning so April drove her car around back. Donatello had told her to use her car so that his brothers would be less likely to follow. The clinic was still closed, but Dr. Goodfellow was waiting at the back door. They got out and met her.

“Morning Donatello, Miss O’Neil. I hear you went to the freelance writer.” Dr. Goodfellow said as she led them inside.

“Yes. Though I do play the reporter every now and then.” April laughed.

“So Donatello, you tell me you are in need of a doctor. So what can I do for you?” The woman said as she led them to her office.

“You see, Dr. Goodfellow-"

“Please… as I told your brother, Michelangelo, call me Jane.” The woman interrupted. 

“Jane. I was turtlenapped a little more then a month ago. A scientist, a man that everyone there called ‘Sir,’ ran some tests, then he… artificially impregnated me. Two embryos. At first I didn’t believe him, but after I escaped, I started becoming sick. I did a little research, read about the symptoms, then took a pregnancy test. I did this twice. What he said and did to me was true. I am pregnant.” 

Donatello stood up from the seats that he and April had taken. He uncrossed his arms that he had taken to crossing automatically. 

Jane had stood in front of her desk and was leaning against it. She hadn’t said a word though her eyes had widened. When Donatello stood up and showed his belly, she allowed a gasp to escape her. “Wow. You are not kidding. So what are you planning to do? Have you told your brothers and sensei?” 

“Oh no! I don’t plan to! April is the only one that knows other than you. Is there anything you can do?” 

Jane nodded, “There is. You are speaking about abortion, aren’t you?”

Donatello hung his head, but nodded.

“I see. Yes, I can perform an abortion. I suppose you want to do this today, huh?”

“Yes, as soon as possible.” Donatello looked up at her with hopeful eyes.

“Ok. Before I perform the actual test, I do want to check you and the embryos out. It’s mandatory. I don’t do many animal abortions though I have. I’ll get you set up in a room.” Jane turned away, but then turned back. “Donatello, my daughter, Tanya is here. She just graduated from college and now is beginning her year of residency. She’ll be helping me out. She already knows about you all. I had to tell since I never know when Michelangelo will be showing up with more animals.” Jane smiled when she saw the mistrust and anxiety cross his face. 

“It’s fine. She’s been dying to meet you all anyway, and she’ll keep your secret, both of them.”

Donatello relaxed. “Ok.”

Jane nodded once and walked out the door.

April turned to Donatello. “Did you know she had a daughter?” She asked.

“Had no idea. Michelangelo knows her better than me. There was no one else to turn to and Mike’s known her for years. He trusts her.” Donatello said as he gave a sigh. 

The door opened and a short young African American woman walked in. She looked almost nothing like Jane. Her face was rounder and she was a little big-boned. While Jane had the classic curly thick black hair, this woman’s hair was flat and straight and fine, with a touch of deep honey. Her skin was lighter as well. She had her mother’s eyes though. Big, round, intelligent and a deep black.

Her eyes widened, then she broke out in a smile. “So you’re one of the turtles that Mother has been talking about? Michelangelo?” 

Donatello shook his head. “No, that’s my brother who wears orange. I’m Donatello.”

“Ah, sorry. Still all the pleasure, I’m sure.” Tanya held out her hand, “I’m Tanya.”

“Likewise… oh I mean yes, nice to meet you.” Donatello said as he shook her hand.

Tanya stared at him for a few more seconds, then shook herself out of it. “Ok, Mother said to get you settled into a room. So if you’d follow me…” she backed out of the room and beckoned.

Donatello hesitated, but then followed with April close behind. They followed the young woman through a hallway to a door. Tanya opened the door and ushered them inside. 

“Ok,” Tanya began, now serious. “You are in here for an… abortion?” Her mask slipped and looked at him funny. It wasn’t of disgust, just confusion. She looked back down at the clipboard she had. “Is this right?”

“I’m afraid it is.” Jane said as she rolled an ultrasound machine in. “Tanya, go get the tray.” 

“On it.” Tanya laid down the clipboard and walked out of the room.

“Ok Donatello, while this ultrasound warms up, I’m going to draw some blood.” Jane said as she patted the table. “Now you sit up here.” He walked forward and jumped up onto the table. 

At that moment, April’s phone rang. She walked out and answered. After a heated discussion, she poked her head back into the room. “I’m so sorry, Donatello, but I got a call from my office. They want me to come in. I’ll tell them no if you really need me here.”

Tanya came back in and set the tray down. She looked over at April, then at Donatello. “I’ll take care of Donatello.” She turned to Donatello. “You’ll be fine. Both me and Mother will be here.” 

Donatello raised an eye ridge at the woman’s eagerness, but somehow felt safe. He nodded at April. “Go on. You’ve done so much for me anyway. I will be fine.”

April nodded and hugged her green friend. “I’ll be back as soon as possible, and if you need me at all, give me a call.”

“I will, April. Thank you.” Donatello watched her go and heaved a sigh.

Jane pulled on some gloves and picked up a needle. “It’ll be fine, Donatello. Now I’m going to take a blood sample, then we’ll do the ultrasound to find the position of the embryos, then go from there.” 

The next half hour was nerve racking for Donatello while he was poked and prodded. When the blood sampling was over, Jane said, "Now Donatello, can you lie back for me?" He laid back and took his belt off and Jane put some gel on his belly so she could do the ultrasound. 

Jane ran the ultrasound probe over Donatello's bulging plastron. A faint image showed up on the screen of the machine. “There they are. It’s strange; your plastron is softer and yielding but just as thick. You say that this man injected them in the side?”

“Yes.” Donatello lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. 

Tanya was standing at his head. She thought for a moment, “Then try the sides.” She said.

Jane nodded and moved the piece over to his right side. The image on the screen became clearer. It was still small, but Donatello could still actually see the baby. Jane moved the piece to the other side and again the image showed the tiny baby. Before Jane pulled the piece away, Tanya moved forward. 

“Want to hear the heartbeats?” She asked as she turned the knob. At first, Donatello didn't say anything, but then said, "Sure." 

The room was filled with the sound of fast paced heartbeats.

Donatello froze when he heard the sound. Jane nodded and turned the machine off. 

“Ok. Let me put this away, then I’ll be back and we’ll talk.” Jane said as she pushed the ultrasound machine out. 

Tanya stayed behind and helped Donatello wipe the cold gel off of his sides and plastron. “So what do you think?”

“I-I didn’t imagine that I’d actually be able to hear them or even see them.” Donatello said, shocked.

Tanya smiled. “They looked and sounded very healthy.”

“Did they?” 

“Yes.”

“Ok, Donatello,” Jane began as she walked back in, “the best way to go about the abortion-“

“No.” Donatello said, surprising Jane and himself. “What if I… kept them?”

“We-well,” Jane sputtered, then got over her shock. “Everything looked fine. In fact, you could even carry them to full term, which I figured in the time that you told me that you were impregnated will be six months. Humans normally carry nine months, but take in consideration of what you are. Human and turtle.”

“Six months? Then you’re actually almost out of the first trimester. That’s why even at five weeks we could see the babies. They are growing fast.” Tanya said as she did the math.

“A woman normally carries the baby forty weeks, so if you say only six months, then I’ll only have nineteen more weeks. That’ll put them to be due in May.” Donatello said.

“That’ll be about right.” Jane said. “You sure you want to do this?”

Donatello took a deep breath, then nodded. “Yes. I want to keep them.”

“Ok, but I know how rough your life is. Try not to fight anymore then you have to. That’ll mean you’ll have to tell your brothers and Splinter. You also need to eat healthier. I know that you all love pizza, but you need to cut back on that. And I must let you know, the birth… it’ll have to be a…”

“A cesarean section. I know. I’ll be prepared.” Donatello said. 

“Ok then. If you do this, I’ll want to see you every month. Those babies are growing fast and I want to keep an eye on them and you. They’ll be pushing your internal organs around and I want to make sure that there will be no damage.”

Donatello nodded and slid off the table. “I will. Thank you, Jane.” 

“You’re very welcome. Now I got to get back to work. Don’t be afraid to give me a call. Anytime.” She then gave him a smile and walked out the door.

Tanya walked Donatello to the back door where April was just pulling up. Surprising him, Tanya gave him a hug. She pulled back and slipped a piece of paper into his three fingered hand. “Here, I know you have the office number, but this is our home phone. I’m staying with Mother right now. And don’t be afraid to give us a call. Even if you just need to talk.” She then waved at him and went back inside. 

Donatello blinked then climbed into the car.

April winked at Donatello. “Looks like you got a number, Donatello.” 

Donatello blushed, as he looked down at the paper. “It’s not like that.”

“Sure. So how’d it go?” She asked gently.

“I’m keeping them.”

“What!? You are!” April stopped the car and looked over at Donatello in shock. 

“I’m keeping them.” He repeated.

“You sure? And is it safe?” April asked.

“Yes. When I heard the heartbeats and Tanya told me that they are healthy, I thought, they are a part of me. How can I hurt them? It’s hard to explain…”

April smiled, “Not as hard as you think. I understand and I’ll be here for you.” April started the car again and began to drive into the traffic. “So when are you going to tell the others?”

“Not yet. Soon though. Maybe on Christmas…” Donatello trailed off, already thinking about the things he could teach his children. He did like to teach others about things when they would let him. He hoped his kids would be good students one day. 

Another thing he thought about was if one or both of them would take after him. Good question? Would they? Only time would tell.


	9. Chapter 9

But Donatello didn’t have time when his children were growing thus stretching out his belly. It wasn’t too big yet, but he was showing clearly now. His nausea and fatigue were gone completely. It was one thing that he was grateful for. But he would rather have the nausea back; even ten fold if he could continue to put off telling his brothers and sensei. He knew they were already growing suspicious at his ever growing belly and the excuses he gave to get out of the training. 

It was later one night that Splinter came into Donatello’s lab. He stood there while watching Donatello look through some books. Finally, he spoke up as he leaned on his cane. “Donatello, why haven’t you been training with the others?” 

Donatello dropped the baby book he had been looking through. “Oh! Sensei, I didn’t see you there. Training, well, I-"

“Donatello, you can not fall behind in your training. You must remember that you are ninja, as well as a scientist. To be both, you have to work hard at both.” Master Splinter said as he looked around the lab that was filled with all types of robots and machines.

“I know Master Splinter, it’s just that…” Donatello stopped, not quite able to tell Master Splinter just yet.

“Donatello, you are starting to lose the fighting edge. No excuses tonight. You will do the patrol with your brothers tonight.” Master Splinter narrowed his black eyes at Donatello.

Donatello gulped and nodded. “Yes, Sensei.” He said with a small bow of his head. 

“Very good.” With the parting words, Master Splinter turned and walked out.

“Aw, man. What am I going to do? I’ve put this off for so long. I told April that I’d tell them on Christmas, but that’s only a week away.” Donatello dropped his head into his hands.

Xxx

The city’s nights had turned bitterly cold, the crystal clear skies brilliant with stars. A light snow had already fallen on the city and the promise of another was heavy in the air, filling it with a crisp scent. 

The turtle van stopped outside a rather large church. 

“Why did you stop, Donatello?” Leonardo asked. 

“Yeah bro, I thought that we were heading to Vinnie’s? He’s having that Christmas bash, I don’t want to miss it.” Michelangelo said from behind Leonardo.

“Shh. Listen.” Donatello said as he rolled down the window.

Thinking he meant some kind of danger, the turtles shut up and listened. There was a sound, but it wasn’t the sound of danger. It was the simple sound of a church choir singing Christmas carols.

Raphael looked out the window, then rolled his eyes. “A church? They’re singing carols. What, you hearing the calling?”

Cantankerously, Donatello sighed, “You know any Christmas carols?”

Raphael huffed, “Of course.” He began to spout ‘Deck the Halls” when Donatello interrupted him.

“How about ‘Silent Night?” 

Raphael began to sing it when he stopped and glared at Donatello, catching the meaning. “Hey! I’m the wise guy here!”

As the others laughed at Raphael's expense, Donatello found himself gazing at the Natively Scene in the front of the church. Needless to say, none of the turtles were a practicing Catholic by any means… or any other religion for that matter. They knew of the Buddhism that Master Splinter followed, but they never missed out on the celebration. But this year, Christmas was special for him.

His mind swimming with thoughts of his upcoming children, he listened to the choir, listening intently to the hauntingly beautiful strains of ‘Carol of the Bells.’ The song was by far one of his favorites of the Christmas songs. He watched the choir stand outside, singing to the passersby. They stood in formation, each man dressed in matching top hats and capes, the women in crimson cloaks with hoods. Although it was cold, each member sang joyously, a warm twinkle in each set of eyes. 

“Alright, Donatello, let’s move on. We have one block to cover, then we can go to Vinnie's.” Leonardo said, dragging Donatello away from his thoughts and watching the choir. 

He sighed and started the van again, driving on. 

“What’s wrong, Donatello? I’ve heard of the Christmas blues, you got the Christmas Greens?” Raphael piped up from the back. 

“Knock it off, Raphael.” Leonardo said as he continued to stare at his brother.

“Fine. Let’s just finish this patrol so we can go to Vinnie's.”

They drove on some more. As they rounded the corner of the last block that they were patrolling, all their eyes widened at the sight of a black van racing toward them. 

Donatello swerved and the van tipped and skidded on the icy road, then spun. He heard the shouts of his brothers as the turtle van finally slid to a stop and Donatello took a deep breath. 

“Roller derby, Donatello. Next time I want to see what I had for dinner, I’ll get you to drive.” Raphael said sarcastically as he cupped a hand over his beak.

“Who were those maniacs?” Leonardo asked.

“I don’t know, but we’ll soon find out.” Michelangelo said in a slight panic.

“Why’s that, Michelangelo?” Leonardo asked, as he looked around.

“Because they’re getting out of the van and heading this way with mean looks and mean clubs.” He said as he pointed out the window.

“Then lets show those thugs some Christmas spirit,” Raphael said as he jumped out of the Turtle Van with the others following him. 

Donatello’s eyes widened when he saw the two men. They were the same men he had run into when he had escaped. He had knocked them for a loop, and from the looks on their faces, they planned to do the same to him. They barely spared a glace at his bros, but instead, moved on toward him. 

The biggest, a redhead, pointed at Donatello. "Sir wants you back, Donatello, because of what you are carrying." 

Donatello’s eyes widened and swallowed nervously as he instinctively put a hand on his stomach. His bros chose that moment to look at him strangely. 

“Just what are you carrying, Donatello… this goon’s purse?” Raphael quipped with a grin.

“Ah thanks, Raphael, get them angrier then they are, dude.” Michelangelo said as he pulled out his nunchucks.

“It’s a talent,” Raphael said. “Don’t worry, I’ll have them after me like flies in a trash can.” Raphael jumped out in front of the goons and stuck his tongue out at the redheaded man, with a loud “NYAH!!” It was enough to turn the man’s face as red as his hair. 

Following Raphael’s diversion, Leonardo drop kicked the redhead’s partner, but both humans were used to rough housing and were built up in the muscles department. It took a lot more than a kick to keep these goons down and as Raphael slid to a stop, causing the tall man to run into him, Raphael used this to his advantage and flipped the man over his shell and on the ground. 

The man looked up to see the orange masked turtle grinning down at him. Quickly, Michelangelo smashed at the human with his nunchacku, but he got a strange surprise. The man brought up his legs and gave a good kick in Michelangelo’s stomach, sending him flying.

“Hey dude, when you’re down, you’re supposed to stay down.” He complained as he rubbed his stomach. 

As Raphael and Michelangelo squared off with the redhead, that left the other one to Donatello and Leonardo. The man blocked Leonardo’s attacks with his wooden club and then grabbed him by the shell and spun, throwing Leonardo in the nearby alley. 

Then, the blonde man turned to Donatello. “Now, you come with us to make things a whole lot easier on you and your disgusting brothers. Just because you all have those fancy ninja moves doesn’t mean we are weak,” he snickered, “You are Sir’s property now.”

Donatello narrowed his eyes as he glared at the human that towered over him. “No, I’m not! My body, my choice. I took you both out once, I can do it again.” He then used his staff to knock the club out of the man’s hands, then he backhanded the man. 

The human fell down, but stayed down when Donatello used his bo staff as a bat and slammed the wood into his head. The man was out just as Michelangelo and Raphael finished off the other man. 

Leonardo had come back out of the alley he had been tossed into. He only had a few bruises and was ready to jump into the fight when he ended up watching his purple masked brother. The man had said something to him and Leonardo saw the stance in Donatello change. 

Earlier when the men had come out and spoke to Donatello he figured that these men were from that scientist’s lab to recapture his brother. But what the human said was rather odd. Leonardo watched as his brother took the man down rather roughly. 

“You guys okay?" Leonardo asked.

“We’re fine.” Michelangelo answered. 

Leonardo then turned to Donatello. “What did that man mean by ‘Sir wants you back because of what you are carrying?’”

“Uh, I-don’t know, Leonardo.” Donatello said nervously as he replaced his bo. 

“Ah, come on, Donatello, you’re the big brain and the one that was gone for two weeks.” Raphael said as he followed Michelangelo into the Turtle Van. 

“I don’t know. It could mean a number of things. None of which I’m aware of.” Donatello answered as he started the Van.

Leonardo was silent for a while as Donatello drove the Van and on the walk back to the lair. They were almost there when he stopped Donatello and allowed his two other brothers to walk on. They were already moaning and groaning about how that fight made them miss Vinnie’s pizza party.

“I could, like, go for a midnight snack before bed, dudes.” Michelangelo said.

“Are you always hungry or something?” Raphael asked. “Ah well, I think there’s some leftover pizza in the fridge.”

“Donatello. You are hiding something. You have been laxing on your training and even your experiments. Your behavior is also very strange. Not to mention-" Leonardo’s eyes dropped to Donatello’s ever expanding belly. “If you don’t talk to me, at least talk to Master Splinter.”

Donatello pulled his arm away, feeling extremely guilty for all the lying. He knew he couldn’t hide his pregnancy any longer. “It’s nothing.” He said, but hung his head at the annoyed look his brother gave him.

“Alright. I’ll talk to Master Splinter.” He said, giving in.

XXX

While all his other brothers sat around the TV and ate leftover pizza, he paused outside of Master Splinter’s room. He was about to let one of the most important figures in his life know of the news. He felt like he had failed his sensei in some way.

Splinter was waiting inside meditating, his traditional method of keeping himself calm, although Donatello could tell by the scowl on his master’s face that something was wrong.

“Master Splinter, we’re home.” Donatello said.

“Yes, I know.” Splinter said. He opened his eyes and stared up at Donatello. “You have something you wish to tell me.” It was not a question. It was a statement. 

Splinter had known something was wrong with Donatello. He just waited until Donatello was ready to tell him on his own.

“No- I mean, yes.” Donatello said while shaking. 

Splinter motioned the place in front of him. “Sit down, my student.” 

Donatello did what Splinter said. Sitting down, he moved until he was comfortable. When he was, he looked back up at his Master. 

“Now, Donatello. Start at the beginning.” 

Taking a deep breath, Donatello did just that. When he was finished, he just waited.

Splinter closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “Hmm. I see why you kept this from your brothers and me. The only thing I’m disappointed in is your lack of faith in your brothers and your sensei. You say you are pregnant. And it is done- how you say? Artificially? You sure that you want to keep these… babies?” Splinter asked.

“Yes, Sensei. There were moments of doubt, to the point that I even went to the human, Dr. Jane Goodfellow, for an abortion. But I couldn’t do it. Not after I heard their heartbeats and saw them on the ultrasound. You taught us that killing is wrong. How could I kill them? They are a part of me. It doesn’t matter if it is immoral and unnatural. They are living beings. I can’t do that.”

Splinter was quiet for a moment, as he took deep, calming breaths. He then looked up at his son. “I am proud of you. You are right, the abortion would be wrong. It is not their fault, nor is it yours. We all have come a long way. This is only a small test in our faith in ourselves. Now tell me… what did this Goodfellow say?”

“She said that I’d be able to carry them fine. It’d have to be a cesarean birth. I have to see her every month.” Donatello said, a big part of the stress that he had been carrying around lifted.

“Now, when are you telling your brothers?” Splinter said as he placed a hand on Donatello’s shoulder.

“At the Christmas party that April is throwing. She said that she was inviting Jane Goodfellow and her daughter, Tanya. They can help me tell my bros.”


	10. Chapter 10

The few days until Christmas Eve turned Donatello’s belly into hard knots. It was almost like when he had the accursed morning sickness. April had come down early and after talking with Splinter and assuring him that Jane and Tanya were trustworthy, she gave each of the turtles a list of things she wanted done. 

Mikey was on the cooking duty as usual, Leonardo was employed to use his katanas to trim the tree that Raphael and Michelangelo had drug down into the sewers while Raphael did some light cleaning. 

“Why do I have to be the one to clean?” He grumbled as he attacked a corner that held some cobwebs. 

“Because we are having some surprise guests and spring cleaning doesn’t always have to happen in the spring.” April said as she made sure she had the list.

“Maybe so, but still… does it look like I’m Martha Stewart?” 

“Alright wise guy, just finish that corner and then throw all the pizza boxes away, or I’ll have you wear the apron.” She threatened. “You ready, Donatello?”

“Yeah.” Donatello finished pulling on the purple wool cap that he wore often. He followed April out. She had it all worked out so that she could get him alone to talk as they did the shopping.

Xx

“So, Donatello,” April began as she looked through some turkeys, “have any idea how you are going to tell your brothers? Splinter handled it rather well.”

“No idea. Though I don’t know which is worse, Splinter calmly saying he’s disappointed in me for not telling him sooner and trusting him, or if he had yelled. I guess after all the years of all the strange things in our life and him turning from human to rat he’s well used to the impossible, so me being… pregnant isn’t too much of a shock.”

“Yeah, I see what you mean. After I met you four and Splinter, I felt the same way about some things. I don’t look at the simple things anymore. What do you think of this one?” She held up a rather large turkey.

Donatello nodded. “Looks good.” 

“I’ll take your word for it. I was never one for cooking, much less telling what was good or not. Ever since Irma moved I’ve been relying on take-out.” She nodded her head and Donatello pushed the cart forward. 

The all night mart was empty even on the early Christmas Eve day. “Anyway, speaking of your pregnancy, how are you doing?”

“I’ll be better once I get this all out in the open with my bros.”

“That’s not what I meant. How are you feeling?” April said as she looked at two different cans of cranberry sauce. She shrugged and dumped both in the cart.

“The morning sickness is over and the babies are growing fast. I’m already two months along and I’m showing. It’s not uncomfortable yet, but as to feeling. No offence, April, but I don’t know how you women do it. I get periods when I don’t feel… if you will… male.” Donatello’s cheeks turned darker.

April stopped walking and raised an eyebrow at Donatello. “You have any idea why you would feel this way?”

He nodded, “It must be the high dosages that Sir gave he. For me to possibly carry the babies, he would have to had me on female hormones.” Donatello paused by the aisle that held frozen fish. He stared into the freezer. “You know, I think that is why he waited the first week of my capture. He had begun a hormonal treatment.”

April didn’t say anything but stared into the freezer with Donatello. They stood there, lost in their own little world. Finally, April cleared her throat. “I think we got everything. You ready to head back?”

XXX

By Christmas Eve night, the promised snow was falling gently all over New York City, and everyone was helping decorate the lair to the nicest. Christmas classics boomed over the radio.

“There, that’s the last of it.” April said as she hung the last bulb on the tree. She glanced at her watch. “Oh, I got to get going. I have still one thing to do, then I have to get ready. I’ll see you in about an hour, boys.” She waved goodbye.

“See ya, April.” Michelangelo called from the kitchen. 

Donatello was in his lab rehearsing what he was going to say. He hoped that the party and Jane and Tanya would help smooth things over. 

April stuck her head into his lab. “I’m going to go get ready, then pick up Jane and Tanya.” She saw Donatello’s worried look. “I’ll say it again, it’ll be fine.”

“Thanks, April, for everything.” Donatello said as he stood up.

“No problem. Look I’ve got to go. See you later.”

“Bye.” 

The next hour was busy with last minute preps and by the time seven o’clock came, the lair looked like the inside of Macy’s at Christmas. 

“Hey, guys!” April’s voice echoed through the sewer. “I’m back and I’ve got a surprise for you.”

"Sounds like April’s back." Leonardo said.

"Let's go wish her a good evening and Merry Christmas." Master Splinter said and all of them walked into the living area. There stood April in a simple green outfit. Beside her was Dr. Jane Goodfellow and a much younger woman. 

Jane was wearing a white blouse and black dress pants with her long curly black hair brushed back and in a simple braid, the silver hairs on her head giving her a distinguished look. The younger woman was shorter with a rounder face. Her dark honey brown hair was braided in a French braid and was decked out in a festive holiday dress with fluffy white trim, her light Mocha colored skin made richer looking by the red dress.

"Merry Christmas!" The women called happily as the turtles came out into the living room. 

“Jane! So good to see you again, Dr. Dudette.” Michelangelo said when he spotted his old human friend.

“Likewise, Michelangelo.” Jane laughed.

Master Splinter came forward and bowed to the two women. “Welcome. I am Splinter. It’s a pleasure to meet both of you.”

“Same here. As you may know from Michelangelo, I’m Jane Goodfellow, but this here is my daughter, Tanya.” Jane indicated the young woman beside her.

“It’s wonderful to meet all of you.” Tanya said while she looked around at each of them. Her black eyes settled on Michelangelo. “Orange. You are wearing orange, so that means you must be Michelangelo?”

“Right on, dudette. That’s me!” Michelangelo gushed out.

“Ok, so how about the rest of you? You all have names I’m sure?” She asked.

Leonardo had got done eyeing them. Jane he knew, but though he had never seen her daughter, if April and Splinter trusted them, then he was sure that they were alright. He stepped forward and gave them a welcoming smile. “Tanya, I’m Leonardo and that is Raphael and Donatello.” He pointed to his other brothers, even Donatello, not knowing she already knew him.

Tanya nodded to each of them and as everyone stood around kinda awkwardly, Michelangelo decided to break the ice. He ran up to Tanya and immediately began singing It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and began with a poor, shocked Tanya, though she began to laugh. 

"Whoa, somebody's redefining Christmas Spirit here." She commented with a chuckle once he released her.

" Hey Dudette, it’s Christmas… aren't I entitled to some childlike excitement?" He said as he turned up the radio to begin the party.

"Of course you are." Tanya nodded, smiling at him indulgently.

“All right, let’s get this party started. You know, eat, drink, and be merry, people!" Michelangelo yelled to the guests.

XX

The party was in full swing by nine. Even the wild pizza dishes were enjoyed by those that weren’t used to the concoctions that Michelangelo thought of. Even Donatello was relaxing for a while and enjoying himself. 

Tanya seemed to have something in common with each of the turtles. She enjoyed Michelangelo’s weird pizzas and laughed at Raphael and didn’t even blink at his sarcasm. Even Leonardo’s interest was piped when she had mentioned that in high school she had been on the fencing team. After awhile, she excused herself and walked over to Donatello. 

“Hey. So how you doing?” She asked as she handed him a cup of cider.

“Good. I’m thinking that this Christmas party of April’s was a terrific idea.” Donatello said as he took the cider. "Thanks.”

It was right then Raphael’s gaze suddenly fell on a recently hung decoration. "Hey, Donatello… you're standing under the mistletoe!"

Both Tanya and Donatello jerked slightly and glanced upwards only to find that he was correct. "Splendid." Was Donatello’s reply.

"Tanya, you're the closest." April nudged the young woman on.

Tanya looked over at Donatello with a small smirk. "Oh, fine." Tanya smiled. Donatello’s eyes widened as she bent over and kissed Donatello chastely on the beak.

Donatello took back a step, a slight blush in his cheeks.

Jane and April both burst into applause, laughing at Donatello while his brothers cat called. "Way to go, Donatello!" Raphael shouted, with a wolf whistle following.

"I should go see if the pizzas are done." Donatello said with as much dignity as he could muster and hurried out of the room with Raphael laughing behind him.

“Hey lover boy, there are no pizzas in the oven!”

X

Tanya peeked her head around the corner, glancing briefly into the main room of the party. The party was winding down as she and April had ushered Donatello into the kitchen. It was time and poor Donatello was close to hyperventilating. He couldn't recall ever being so nervous in his life.

Tanya turned back to Donatello, who sat at the table while April was rubbing his shoulders. “Come on, Donatello. It’s now or never.”

He looked up into Tanya’s face. “How about never?”

"Come on. Splinter already told them that there is something you wished to tell them. Me, Mom, Splinter and April are here for you… and if your brothers so much as tease you, …well, you tell them to know that I wouldn’t hesitate to neuter three giant turtles.” She winked as Donatello smiled a little. “Everyone's waiting for you."

“Ok. I’ve faced Shredder and worse, how hard can it be to tell them that I’m pregnant?”

“You're WHAT?!” The three male voices rang out through the air. 

Donatello turned around to see his three brothers with Splinter behind them and Jane beside Splinter. It was like a nightmare. Some gazes mildly accusing, a few concerned. Even the music seemed to have stopped abruptly. The pitying stares of the three females didn't hurt him so much, it was the reproachful looks from his brothers. 

Tanya took over, her deep alto voice taking attention off of Donatello for the moment. Being the same height as the turtles she used her look to help back her up. “You heard him… you’re all going to be uncles.”

“Donatello is expecting. He is at this moment two months along.” Jane said from behind them, using their shocked silence to her advantage. “He will explain it all.”

Donatello swallowed, trying to ignore the glances his brothers gave him. “When I went missing back at the end of October, the scientist, ‘Sir,’ ran some tests, then he… artificially impregnated me. Two embryos. I am pregnant. That’s why those two men were after me last week. That’s what he meant when he said ‘Sir wants me back, because of what I’m carrying.' I’m carrying twins.”

There was still silence for the moment, and all three of his bros instantly glanced at his slightly bulging stomach.

Leonardo was the first to open his mouth. “I knew something was wrong. Why didn’t you tell us?” 

Donatello cringed and gave Leo an uneasy look. “Because I knew that-“ He was cut off when all three began to laugh. 

Tanya growled and did what she did best. She got aggressive. She liked these turtles even though she had just met them and though Donatello was her and her mother’s patient, she felt protective of him. She really liked him. She moved forward and shoved the three turtles. 

It caught them off guard and they fell. She stood over them with her hands on her hips and glared down at them. “He didn't tell you because of what you three are doing. Donatello doesn’t need anymore stress on his shoulders. So you three need to grow up.” She snapped.

“Oh yeah,” Raphael began as he climbed back to his feet, “who do you think you are?”

“Do you know who I am?” She countered.

“I don’t know… who?” he said sarcastically.

“Someone that wouldn’t stop at neutering dogs and cats… if you know what I mean.” She did a scissor-like motion with her index and middle fingers, while grinning evilly.

The three boys shut up and gave nervous gulps.

It was then that Splinter spoke up. “Your brother needs all of our support. As a wise man once said, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ In this case… two children.” 

Now that his whole family knew, Donatello's mind began to relax and he smiled.


	11. Chapter 11

Donatello was relieved. There was no teasing. Or at least done to his face. He didn’t care. He had more things to worry about than his brothers teasing him. In the past maybe it would have bothered him, but he had matured since then. He almost couldn’t believe how much had happened.

After the Christmas party, which he was internally grateful for, he felt like he could relax. His interest in machinery came back. He would work back in his lab with renewed vigor. Though what he was working on was not his normal gadgets and inventions. They were advanced toys and such for the unborn turtles he was carrying. They even included two cradles where they would sleep. He had the time.

No longer did Master Splinter make him train. Splinter had him to do his katas and exercise, but to do any sparring with his bros, that was cut entirely. But he also needed to think about defense as well. He had to protect his stomach in a battle at all costs if he wanted to be the parent that he wanted to be. Being a scientist full of knowledge, he knew if he didn't keep up with his training, eventually, his muscles would become out of shape and flabby. Caring for his body was important, although he wasn't always into the ninja exercise thing, he still did it anyway.

He had been practicing for almost an hour when his turtle com beeped. He paused and took a deep breath. This morning was hard on him. He had woke up tired and sick to his stomach. He knew he would have to bring it up at the next appointment with Jane and Tanya. It was coming up soon. In about two weeks after the first of canary he had his next appointment with them. Two days after the party Tanya had called and told him that he needed to come in and they set it for the sixteenth that following month.

Donatello caught his breath and pulled out the com. Clicking it open, he saw April’s face smiling up at him. “Hey, April. What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much. Just wondering if you are up to coming over, without the others?” She said as a smile crossed her face.

“Why?” He asked as he put up his practice bo.

The picture on the com shifted as April’s shocked voice cried out. “Hey, Tanya, give that back!”

Tanya’s mocha colored face came into view. She grinned at Donatello. “Hey, daom.”

Donatello had to cock his head and gave her a confused look. “Daom?”

“Yeah. You are both. A dad and a mom. So Daom.” She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Ok. So what did you want?”

“You are to bring all three of you over here to April’s.” Tanya said as her grin became bigger.

“Why?” He asked, ever curious.

“Don’t you dare tell him!” April’s voice shouted out.

The camera shifted again as Tanya moved out of April’s lunge. Donatello had to smirk as the two female humans fought over the turtle com. Though April was taller and thinner, Tanya was stronger and for a chubby girl, she could move fast. She won the war and blurted out, “We are throwing you a Baby Shower!”

Two voices rang out, that Donatello recognized as April’s and Jane. “Tanya!”

“What? I was never one to keep surprises secret! You should have known better than to tell me before we told him.” Tanya yelled back at the two women. She looked back at Donatello.

Donatello was shocked. “A what?!”

“A baby shower. So come on over.” April said after she wrestled the com back from Tanya.

Donatello shrugged and nodded. “All right. The fresh air could do me some good. I’ll be there in ten.” He closed the com and walked out of his lab. He passed by his bros who were watching the TV.

Raphael turned his head when he saw Donatello walk by. He snickered. “Saw you comin’ before I even saw your face. How much bigger are you going to get?”

“Where you going, Don _a_ tello?” Michelangelo asked, dragging the a out on in Donatello’s name.

“I’m going to April’s. She asked me to come over.” He said as he tried his best to ignore them.

“So you going to do what? Paint your toenails?” Leonardo put in while snickering.

“I’m ignoring you. Don’t talk to me.” Donatello said as he glared at the brothers. He turned his back on them and walked out the door, before the threatening tears in his eyes fell in front of his brothers.

XX

When he got to April’s and opened the door, there was a large banner hanging from her ceiling. Large pink and blue letters spelled ‘Baby Shower.” Donatello couldn’t help but laugh as he became teary eyed.

“April thought you needed something to cheer you up,” Jane said gently while smiling at him.

“Yeah, even though you are still male at heart, you will be a mother and every mother needs a baby shower. Not to mention babies require supplies,” Tanya said as she gave him a hug, Donatello surprising himself when he hugged her back.

He then took extra time to look at the decorations. Pink and blue balloons and streamers and other pastel baby decorations hung everywhere. The care and utmost thought had gone into everything. If only his bros would care. They had been doing the teasing behind his shell and every time he would try to join them in watching TV or another thing they used to do, they would just try to hide their grins. Tonight, they had done the teasing to his face. He sighed and then smiled again and looked around at the human females. “This is wonderful. Thank you.”

Tanya grabbed Donatello’s arm and led him over to a long table that was laid out with food. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that there was no pizza. _‘Wow, never thought I’d actually think that.’_ He thought as he began to snack on fruits, veggies, and even some fish. His craving for fish had escalated into a down right obsession. He turned when he heard a giggle and saw Tanya holding a half eaten banana. She shrugged.

“What? It’s just that I’ve never seen anyone so crazy about fish.” She said after she took a bite of the banana.

“Oh, it’s just that I’ve been-”  
  
“Craving it? I know. I remember the fish sticks you downed at the Christmas party. I couldn’t help but wonder, then I remembered, it’s about time for the crazy cravings, or as Mom calls it the Crazy C. She said that she craved strawberries and fresh dirt with me. Other than fish, is there anything else you’ve been craving?” She asked as she picked up an orange next but just tossed it from one hand to the other.

“No, just fish and milk. It surprised me though. I didn’t like milk very much and I hate fish except on pizza and I haven’t even wanted pizza.” Donatello said after he looked down at the plate of baked salmon he held.

Tanya laughed. “Yeah, April told me about the pizza obsessions you and your brothers have. Be glad you can eat fish and shellfish. I’m allergic to it. Milk, huh? I bet that is due to the babies. They are growing fast and they need the calcium.”

“Could be. I can’t help but wonder what they will look like. I have the suspicion that human eggs were used, as well as…” Donatello paused and blushed. Even though he was a scientist he couldn’t help but be embarrassed about some things. “Well, you know. Will they look more human or more like me?”

Tanya stopped rolling the orange and tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I can’t answer that, Donatello, but soon we’ll be able to tell what they look like better. So, are you excited?”

Donatello nodded, a bright smile on his beak, “Yes. Very. I can’t help but to be.” His smile faded, “I just wish my family would be too. Splinter is supportive, he gives me advice, and you all are wonderful, but my bros… they aren’t so much.”

Tanya tossed the orange on the table and walked up to him and put an arm around his shoulders. She was only a few inches taller than him, so this was done comfortably.

Donatello’s first instinct was to tense, his past prejudice and mistrust of humans threatening to rise, but it was only there and gone in a flash, almost like it wasn’t there. He liked her. She was so much like his other bros. Loyal, but fun loving and snarky as well.

She did a sweeping motion, indicating the decorations. “Do you like the decorations?” She asked.

Donatello blinked at the question. “Yes. Though why blue and pink? Are they…?”

She shook her head and giggled. “We can’t tell yet. It’s too early to see. It was Raphael’s idea.” She laughed again at his shocked look.

“They know about the baby shower?” He asked, not believing it.

“Yep. It was Michelangelo and April’s idea. He and the others got the decorations. Raphael chose the two colors because they weren’t sure what the twins were, so he said to get both colors and have it covered. They also got you presents… speaking of presents. It’s time to turn this into a shower.” She removed her arm and stepped away, then looked back at Donatello’s still shocked face. She giggled and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“You’re cute when you’re speechless, Donatello.” She then hurried off and grabbed April and whispered something to her.

Donatello was indeed shocked. They did care. But why didn’t they show it? He then figured that it was probably due to the fact that this was all new for them and their way of showing that they cared was the best way they all knew how. By teasing.

Soon, Donatello was showered with gifts. They were the normal necessaries. Baby radios. Clothes to keep the tiny babies warm and other things that Donatello knew he would need badly. Blankets, books, bottles, lullaby tapes, diapers, toys, a name book . He was making his own cradles already for the twins so there were no beds for the babies there. It was still too soon to buy food for the babies. It would still be awhile until they were due really.

As the baby shower came to a close, Donatello began to feel really tired and was having sharp back pains. He was looking through a baby name book with the women when he grabbed his belly and cried out. Everything then happened in a blur.

Jane had Tanya bring her car around and as she did that, Jane had Donatello lay on his shell. She began to press lightly on his lower stomach, stopping when he cried out in pain.

Through pain and tear stained eyes, he saw Jane curse lightly. “What’s wrong?!” He cried out in pain.

“I was afraid of this. Donatello, I will tell you this, but you have to promise not to panic. Promise me!” Jane voice was high and intense. Her black eyes sharp as she stared down at Donatello.

He nodded.

“You are in danger of a miscarriage. And since you are still male in all other aspects, there is no way to dispel the fetuses. Your body is rejecting them and is filling up with toxins, killing the fetuses. You and they can die!”

Donatello looked up at her in shock. He didn't want to lose these babies and he was going to make sure that everything that could be done to save these babies could be done. He was not having an abortion!

XXX

The next ten minutes was agony for Donatello. He tried to keep the cries of pain in, but every so often he would whimper and cry out. He kept a hand on his stomach the whole time. April had already called Splinter and his bros and had drove ahead with Tanya to prep the clinic's room. Donatello was laying in the back seat of Jane’s car as she drove as fast as she could.

Finally there, Tanya and April were waiting outside with a table to move Donatello onto. Once he was on the table and Tanya and Jane disappeared into the clinic with him, the Turtle Van drove up and the other turtles, plus Splinter jumped out.  
  
“We got your call, April. What’s wrong with Donatello?” Leonardo asked as they approached April.   
  
April wiped away some tears. “They say he having a possible miscarriage and that he and the babies could die!”

“What?!” The turtles shouted.

“How?” Michelangelo asked.

“I don’t know.” April said as she collapsed into a chair. “He was feeling fine at the party, then suddenly, he grabbed his belly and cried out in pain like something was wrong.”

Suddenly, the door to the room that Tanya and Jane had taken Donatello in swung open. They all looked to see Tanya look around at them in a mild panic. “You. Leonardo. Come with me, now!” She marched up to him and grabbed him by the arm and drug him out the door and threw him into her car.

“What was that for and what is happing with Donatello?” Leonardo asked as the crazed young woman drove through the streets.

“Ok, Donatello is stable, for now. Mother is ridding his body of the toxins that were building up. You guys are apparently human enough to have human blood types. Donatello is RH A-. In males that’s fine, but in women, it is bad. If the father is positive and the mother is negative, the woman’s body rejects the fetuses. That’s what Donatello’s body is doing. Where the pregnancy is not natural, his blood type and body is recognizing the twins as foreign objects and is trying to kill them. Since Donatello can’t pass them like a woman would if she miscarries, his body is filling up with even more toxins.”

“Wow. Would it better to say do the… abortion like Donatello planned in the beginning?” Leonardo asked, his mind reeling with this news. His bro was possibly dying and he was supposed to be his brother and the leader of his family, and all he had done was tease him about being pregnant. At that moment, Leo knew things would have to change.

Tanya sighed and spared a glance over at the turtle. “Sad to say… yes. But Donatello had put his foot down and said no. He wants us to try to save the babies. That’s why you are here. You are the best ninja out of your brothers. I need you to sneak onto the fifth floor of the hospital and go to the lab and get this.” She handed Leonardo a slip of paper. “I can’t get it because, well, they’ll never believe me and since I’m a vet and animals don’t need it, the hospital will never hand it over.”

Leo looked down at the slip of paper. Rhogam it said. At first, Leonardo balked, “I can’t steal from a hospital. No. No, that would be bad. It isn’t honorable.”

“Leonardo!” Tanya barked, causing him to jump.

Wow. For a short sweet looking girl, she sure could melt steel with her glare. “Your brother could be dying and you’re worrying about honor? I may not know a lot about all that ninja junk, but is it honorable to let your brother and his two unborn babies die because you wouldn’t use your ninja training to grab a few vials of medicine?!” Tanya snarled as she took a shape turn.

“No. It is not.” He took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll get it.”

Tanya pulled up to the hospital. “Hurry, Leonardo. Time is of the essence.”

Leonardo nodded once and disappeared out the door.


	12. Chapter 12

Donatello moaned as he slowly woke up. He kept his eyes closed though, trying to remember what happened to him. Suddenly, his brown eyes snapped open and looked around frantically.

He remembered that he had been at the baby shower that everyone had thrown for him, when a terrible cramp had seized his stomach and cried out. The pain was horrible and he had felt beads of sweat pop out on his forehead. He barely remembered anything after that, only that Jane had told him that he was in danger of a miscarriage and that he and his babies could die. He remembered begging for his babies' lives as well as his own. After that, he didn’t remember so much.

Looking around, he saw was that he was in one of the rooms at the clinic. The lights were off and he was lying on a padded table, halfway propped up by cushions and covered with blankets. He felt really tired and his lower belly was sore, but there was no real pain. His hand flew to his belly and he felt the ever-growing bulge.

Donatello also felt something else on his belly. He could feel it wrapped around his entire middle with a monitor attached. It was a fetal monitor, monitoring his twins' heartbeats. He could hear the beeping. He had moved the blanket to see what was on him. He had also noticed an IV in his right hand.

He tried to move, to get up, but he was too tired to move much. Just as he opened his mouth to call out, he felt the presence of someone else in the room. His eyes narrowed in the dark room as he tried to see who it was.

“Hello, Donatello.”

The feminine voice with the undertone of male reached his ears and Donatello felt a shiver of ice-cold fear run up his spine. The voice belonged to someone he never hoped to hear from again. Sir!

“Just give me five minutes, Donatello.” The man’s voice said before Donatello could do or say anything.

“Why should I? You turtlenapped me! Held me captive for two weeks and would’ve held me longer if I hadn’t escaped. After that, you had the authority to send two of your goons after me. Not only that, you impregnated me! Without my consent or anything, causing my body to reject the fetuses, almost killing me and possibly the babies!” Donatello snarled, angry tears burning in his eyes.

“Easy, Donatello. First, I want to clear some things up. I would have released you once you were out of danger. This is the exact reason I didn’t release you right after. And the two imbeciles disobeyed my orders. They went out on their own to capture you. They are taken care of. They will never bother you or your brothers again. Second… your babies are fine. Dr. Goodfellow and her daughter saved them. You and they are fine.”

Donatello felt relief wash over him and again cupped his hand over his belly. They were still in there and alive. All three of them were fine. After breathing the sigh of relief, he glared back in the direction of where Sir was. He could see the outline of the man standing in the corner. “How did you find me?” He asked roughly.

Sir let out a small feminine laugh, “Remember how I told you that I know a lot about you? I found out who you and your brothers knew and trusted. So I naturally knew that you would come here.”

A thought then struck Donatello and he tensed up. “Why _are_ you here? If you think you are going to take me and my children again you are mistaken.” Donatello said lowly.

After the shock of seeing the man again was over, fear and anger took over. Adrenaline rushed though his body and gave him enough strength to climb out of the bed and take a shaky step toward where Sir was. “What reasons do have with interfering in my life? What reasons do you have to come back now?!” Donatello took another threatening step forward.

“I do owe you that. I didn’t come to take you or your children. I was worried about you, Donatello. You are the longest I have ever stuck with as a project. You see it was unfortunate that there are no female turtles that were transformed. You and your brothers are magnificent. I wanted to help you. These babies with give you all a chance.” Sir said softy. He stayed in the corner, a hand on the door ready to leave.

Donatello stayed where he was. He still didn’t trust the human. “I want you to stay away from me and my family. You may try to intervene, to come across as my friend or what. But I won’t fall for it. You just stay away.”

“As you wish, Donatello. But remember this: I will be watching you. For a while at least. Good-bye.” With that the door opened and he slipped out into the back darkened hallway.  
  
Donatello let out a sigh, his nerves shot. He grabbed a hold of the edge of the table as he felt the rest of his energy drain. He couldn’t remember when he had felt so aggressive. It wasn’t his nature. He used to be as laid back as his brothers, even while working on his inventions. But since he had become pregnant, how his mood and personality had changed. He didn’t know if he would even be the same again.  
  
He sighed angrily when tears welled up in his eyes again. And he had never cried this much at all. It wasn’t fair. The rest of his energy drained and his knees gave out and he slid to the floor, then settled onto his side. He didn’t even have the energy to call out. Thankfully, the door opened and Tanya stepped in.

She let out a gasp and rushed to his side looking him over. “Donatello? You still awake?”

Donatello let out an "hmmm", and slowly opened his eyes. “I’m just tired.”

Tanya smiled gently and shook her head. “You silly turtle. Then sleep up on the bed.” She stood and called out for her mother. She then turned back to Donatello. “We’ll get you back up on the bed.”

It took both Jane and Tanya to lift Donatello. He tried to help, but he was too weak and tired. Thankfully, the table that they had Donatello on could lower some and they only had to lift him a foot. While Jane checked his IV, Tanya checked the fetal monitor on his stomach and then rearranged his blankets. He dozed back off, but woke with a startle and grabbed Tanya’s wrist. “What happened? The babies….”

Tanya sighed in relief. “They are fine. You are fine. You were in danger of having a miscarriage. Where the pregnancy is not natural, your blood type and body is recognizing the twins as foreign objects and is trying to kill them. See, your blood type is A-. Your body was rejecting the twins. Toxins were building up, killing all three of you. While Mother was ridding your body of the toxins that were building up, Leonardo and I had to go get you a drug called Rhogam. We had to get you started on it.”

Donatello took a deep breath. Then Sir was right. The twins were fine. And he was fine. He felt his eyes get heavy again. Just before he nodded off again, he had to ask. “Where are my bros?”

Tanya’s voice was beginning to fade when she answered. “They are at home. We had to send them home. They were here for hours waiting for you wake up. Don’t worry… we’ll give them a call when you wake up again.”

That was the last thing that Donatello heard before sleep claimed him again.

 


	13. Chapter 13

It wasn’t until a week after the close call did Tanya and Jane let Donatello go back to the sewer. They had Donatello stay at the clinic for the week, watching him and making sure that everything was fine. The entire time someone was with him. Either his brothers or Tanya. Jane had to continue running the other part of the clinic so during the day, Tanya would stay with him the most. She would help keep an eye out and make sure that no one other then Jane would walk in on Donatello.

Though the city knew about the turtles, they deemed it better safe than sorry to keep it a secret that Donatello was at the clinic. At night, one of his brothers would stay with him. Of course, the turtles didn't want the city to find out about Donatello's secret either. He would be in real danger.

Though the teasing had almost stopped, the awkwardness didn’t. Donatello’s bros would avoid looking at his belly. Donatello didn’t bother telling his brothers that Sir had showed up. It was possibly reckless, but he had a feeling that Sir was telling the truth, that he wouldn’t bother him anymore. Donatello could now see Sir’s reasoning, as sick as it was. It still didn’t mean that Donatello would let him near him or his children. It still sent a chill down his spine about Sir's words, _"I'll be watching you, for awhile anyway' though."_

Donatello sighed as he put the finishing touches on one of his neglected inventions. It had no particular use, only an item to help keep his mind and hands busy. He had been home for three weeks now. February was already here and he was now having sleepless nights.

He was now fully in the second trimester of his pregnancy. Tanya gave him tons of books to read about the subject. He now knew about how to nurse and change diapers, he had known what colic was and all, but he read more into it so that he would be prepared.

He pulled up the magnifying lens that he had strapped to his head and looked down at the useless piece of metal. It had no description. He frowned and pushed it away and looked at the clock. It was 3 in the morning and everyone else was asleep. He had tried sleeping earlier, but all he had done was tossed and turned. He usually liked sleeping on his stomach, but that was not an option anymore. He had to resort to his sides and back. Plus the food craving he had been having was becoming bad. He had already downed three glasses of milk, and they were already out of fish. He had to wait until later to get the fish sticks that April had promised.

He stretched, groaning when he felt the familiar ache in his back. The backaches had just recently started. Right now they were only annoying aches, but he knew with all of his reading that they were going to get worse as the twins got bigger. When he was done stretching, he looked again at the clock. Five minutes after 3. Sighing miserably he sat back down in his chair and leaned back, looking at his ever-growing belly. He knew that it looked odd, but he was at the point now that he didn’t even care.

He couldn’t believe how far he had come. At first, he was ashamed and even angry that this had happened, angry at the unborn babies he carried. In the few weeks that he had to wait for Jane to return to the New York office, the anger faded some, but he was still ashamed. When he went to Jane with the intent of fully aborting the babies, he did have the guilt, but believed that it was truly the right thing to do. But once he heard the heartbeats, everything stopped for him.

The world slowed to a halt and all he could hear and think of was the twins' fast heartbeats. At that moment he knew that he couldn’t kill them. Everything that happened didn’t matter anymore. True, he was still more or less a teenager, but in less than two years, he would be an adult anyway by human standards. He and his brothers had done things that few humans could do, much less adult humans.

He was fully prepared for the responsibility that came with raising babies. Plus he was not alone. He had his brothers and sensei. Also April, and even Jane and Tanya. As he had been musing, Donatello had been slowly rubbing his baby bump. He was four and a half months pregnant, and getting rounder every day it seemed. He began to feel as if dozens of tiny butterflies were flying around in his stomach. It had started a few days ago, lightly. It wasn’t hurting, it just felt odd.

He paused in rubbing his belly. The ‘butterfly’ feeling came back again, full force this time. He touched his stomach only with his fingertips. The strange feeling happened again and it suddenly hit him. The butterflies floating in his belly was just the babies' first moves. A big smile grew on his face as he touched his stomach again, now looking for its next move and it did.

He sat up fast, his own heart beating wildly. He had felt his babies move and he wanted to share this with his bros and sensei. He ran out of his lab, shouting for his bros. They all came stumbling out, rubbing their eyes and each holding their weapons.

“What? What is it?! We under attack?” Leonardo asked, now wide wake. He stood in the middle of the room with both swords drawn and at the ready.

As they all, even Splinter looked around, Donatello laughed and shook his head. “No! We aren’t under attack!” He was all but bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I just felt the twins move!” He said in a rush, pointing to his slightly rounded belly. His dark brown eyes were bright with love and childish joy. He looked around at each of his brothers and sensei.

All of them, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael were staring at their brother like he was crazy. Only Splinter looked on with a small smile.

“Dude, you got us up because they moved?” Michelangelo said as he stared wide eyed at Donatello.

“Yes! Why are you so surprised?” Donatello said. “The babies are moving. It’s a good sign. It means they are already strong.” He was proud of his children and he had wanted to share his happiness.

“Not cool bro. You got us up for this?” Raphael mumbled. He huffed, then waved a hand at this brother, already falling back to sleep as he stumbled his way back to his bed.

Donatello’s heart sank. He was excited… why weren’t they? True, it was about three in the morning, but still…

Leonardo lowered his swords and yawned. He walked up and gave Donatello a pat on the shell. “We’ll talk about this later, okay?”

Donatello shook his head, “Don’t bother. It’s all right. I’m sorry I disturbed your sleep.” He then sighed and walked back to his lab.

He sat down at his table and buried his face into his hands. But before he could begin to cry, he heard Splinter walk in.

“Your brothers just don’t know how to handle this. They are trying to be sensitive but… it takes time.”

“I understand. It’s something that should have never happened. But it did. I don’t regret the decision of not aborting, but I’m dealing with it. I’m the one who's pregnant. They had time. Will they never look at me fully again? Or even think of me as a brother again?” Donatello asked softly as he stared at the old table in front of him.

“I can not say, Donatello. But wise men say ‘One will never know how another feels unless he tells them.’” Splinter said as he patted Donatello’s shell. “Now you try to sleep. You will need all the rest you can get.”

"I'll try to go to bed soon, Sensei, but it's not that easy for me to get to sleep now. My back hurts and I wish I could sleep on my stomach. That was the easiest way for me to sleep, but I know I can't do that anymore. At least not for another couple of months. All I do is toss and turn. I came in here earlier because I couldn't sleep. I had to do something else besides stare at my ceiling."

"I understand, my son. It's not easy because of the twins inside of you. They make it a bit uncomfortable for you." Splinter said. Donatello nodded. "Don't stay up too much longer then. Good night." He said and left the lab.

"Good night, Master Splinter."

Donatello stayed up for another hour, then did start to feel tired so he went back to his room to go to bed. When he sat down on his bed, he took a glance at the newly finished cradles for his babies nearer to his bed. He could barely wait to see the babies in them. He smiled, rubbed his belly again, with a slight movement beneath his hand, but then, laid down and sleep soon found him again.

 


	14. Chapter 14

The next day had Donatello feeling miserable. He was still hurting from the dismal that his brothers did last night. After Splinter had sent him to bed, he had tossed and turned for a while, but finally fell asleep. He woke up to find that he had only slept for a few hours. 

Sighing, he made his way to the kitchen and sat down. As he ate plain cereal, he watched his brothers eat leftover pizza with their favorite cereal toppings. His brothers dominated the conversation as they all talked at once, ignoring him. Donatello finished his cereal and stood, feeling his back starting to ache again. 

He headed back to his lab and stared at the turtle com in is hands. He needed someone to talk to. Just as he picked the com up, it began to beep. He opened it to see Tanya’s face. 

“Tanya. Hey. I was getting ready to call you.”

“Really? How sweet. There is only one problem with that.” She said solemnly.

“What’s that?” 

Tanya’s face broke out into a smile, “Because, silly turtle, I’m over at April’s.” She began to giggle, “How else you think I’m going to see you while we talk?”

“Oh yeah,” Donatello said sheepishly. 

Tanya picked up on his mood. She stopped giggling and looked at him in sympathy. “Baby blues getting you down?”

“Not the twins… my brothers.” Donatello sighed heavily.

“Sounds like you need someone to talk to. Why don’t you meet me at the corner of Fifth and Main? We’ll walk around a bit and talk.” She suggested. “The air will do you some good anyway.” 

Donatello thought about it. Fresh air would be great and plus, he did need someone to talk to. Tanya was around his own age. Her only being two or three years older than him.

“Yeah, I’ll meet you there in ten minutes.” 

“Great. See you in a few.” She winked at him and closed April’s borrowed com. 

Donatello closed his own and walked over to get one of the many disguises that they had. Since it was still cold topside, he pulled on a pair of oversized slacks, though they just barely covered his large belly. He looked down and sighed, then found he also had to pull a sweater on over his head as well. Finally, to top it off, he donned one of the larger trench coats. When he was fully dressed as far as a turtle could be, he picked up his favored fedora. Shutting the lights off, he walked out into the main room of the lair. He saw only Leonardo in the room. 

Leonardo looked up when Donatello entered. “Where are you going?” He asked as he glanced at Donatello, then his rounded belly. He then looked away. 

Donatello sighed and shifted slightly in the bulky coat he wore. “I’m meeting up with Tanya. We are just going to hang out and talk, since nobody else will.” Donatello said rather accusingly. 

Leonardo looked a little shocked at the bitterness in Donatello’s sweet natured voice. “Oh… oh ok. Just be careful.” He said.

Donatello just nodded and shoved the fedora down on his head. He hurried out the lair’s main door and to the manhole cover that would lead him directly to the corner of Fifth and Main. Donatello barely pushed up on the manhole cover, letting the smallest sliver of light through. He peered out through the small crack and held his breath as he listened for any noise in the empty alley. 

After several minutes of silence, he let out a gusty sigh and pushed the cover back so he could climb out of the sewers. He quietly put the cover back and headed towards the entrance of the alley, adjusting the collar on his trench coat as he went.

He dipped his head down so that the brim of his hat hid his features in shadows. His hands remained tucked into the coat’s deep pockets as he walked down the street. As he headed down the street, he hurried along, making it look like he had a place to be several minutes ago. The few people walking down the street didn’t even give him a second look. He stopped and leaned against the wall of a building. His eyes idly went to the short girl walking down the street. 

He watched as Tanya paused and looked around. She then smiled when she spotted Donatello’s own short hunched figure across the street from her. She waved to him and making sure no one would see his hand, Donatello gave her a quick wave back.

Mere moments later, she was walking towards him on his side of the street, having sprinted across the road to avoid becoming a pancake. Her midlength honey brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Under the brown leather jacket she wore was a light mint green sweater. A pair of loose jeans accented the curves of her hips and disappeared into a pair of knee high brown boots that had a small one-inch blocked heel.

Donatello suddenly felt very self-conscious about the ratty coat he was wearing. 

“Hey, Donatello. Come on, let’s walk.” She looped her arm with his and began to gently pull him down the street. “Can you believe that February is already here?”

Donatello nodded his head. “I know, though I’ll be glad that the cold is over. Being cold blooded and cold just don’t go too good together.”

“You look bundled up pretty good.” She said as she looked over at Donatello.

Donatello gave her a smile from underneath the hat. “It’s one of the disguises we wear to come up here.”

“Really? I think it looks cute. A Humphrey Bogart look. ” She giggled. “When I was little, I went through a hat faze."

“A hat faze?” Donatello asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Yep, a hat faze. Had so many hats. I had a hat for every day of the week, hats for special occasions, even a hat that I slept in. Mom was glad when I outgrew the hats, though I still have a few favorites.” They walked down a street that was empty. Tanya looked at him sideways. “Though I don’t remember having a fedora.” With that she reached out and snatched the hat from his head and placed it on her own head. “What do you think?” She asked as she danced out of the way from Donatello. 

He looked at her like she was nuts, then broke out laughing. “You look like Indiana Jones’ kid sister!” 

Tanya stopped and looked at him, “Really?”

Donatello nodded, and then held his hand out, “Now give it back.”

Tanya laughed as she pranced around, her hand on the hat on her head. Donatello then darted out, reaching for his hat. Tanya jerked her head back, barely avoiding the outstretched digits. Tanya giggled as she took a few steps back. Donatello followed and reached for his hat again. She dodged around him and back down the sidewalk, keeping as much distance as she could between Donatello’s hand and his hat. She giggled as the two danced about on the sidewalk.

A smile had spread over Donatello’s face and some of the stress lifted as he continued to try to get his hat back. Finally, he stopped, “Alright, Tanya. No more adventures with you, Dr. Goodfellow.”

Tanya stopped and gave him a sly look, “Sweetheart, after all the fun we've had together?” 

Together, they began to laugh. Tanya took the hat off and placed it back on Donatello’s green head. She then took his arm again and together they started walking back down the street again. “So, Donatello… you hungry?”

"I had breakfast not too long ago, but I'm sure the twins will want more." He had a smirk on his face.

XXX

Tanya led Donatello to a small 50’s style fast-food restaurant. After placing their orders, Tanya got Donatello to talk.

“So how’s everything back at the lair?” 

“I'd rather not talk about it.”

“That bad, huh?”

He sighed, thinking about how everyone had been for the past four months, “You have no idea.”

She was silent for a moment before saying, “I know I’m not a counselor and just one of your doctors, but I’m also a good friend. If you want to talk about it, I’m here.”

“Thanks, Tanya. It’s just like I told Master Splinter last night. I don’t regret the decision of not aborting, but I’m dealing with it. I’m the one who's pregnant. My brothers had time. Last night, the twins moved. They have been moving for the past few days, but last night, it was really strong. I got caught up in the excitement and woke them up. Then they just blew me off.” He stopped, then their food arrived. He had ordered a fish sandwich with a glass of milk. He was finally indulging in both of his food cravings. Tanya just had a large order of fries and a soda. 

“So the twins moved?” She asked after a bit of her fries. “That’s wonderful. And about your brothers… have you tried talking to them? I mean really talking to them? All of you are sending negative waves to each other. You tell them how you feel. If you don’t do this now, imagine how awkward it’s going to be when the twins are born.”

Donatello nodded, “You’re right. Even Master Splinter said the same thing.” He had taken a piece of paper and after fiddling with it, began to fold it into a origami flower.

Tanya reached over and patted his hand. The rest of the day went like that. They hung out and talked, and finally ending up touring the local museum. Donatello had been to all of the museums in New York many times, but never got bored with them. And at the back of his mind he was happy that Tanya was with him. She was enjoying the museum as much as he. None of his other bros really enjoyed the museums and lectures he tried to drag them to. They always complained. How could Tanya not? She was smart. As they wandered though the museum he had asked her all kinds of questions. 

“So your mother was married to your father for only a short time?” He asked as they entered the dinosaur area. 

“Yep. They broke it off soon after I was born. They loved each other, but it was because of different interests. Dad wanted to go into the development business. He turned wilderness into lots to sell for rich people. Mom hated that because it destroyed a lot of wetlands and such. He was a good father though. So they spilt the custody and I was shipped back and forth between here and Los Angeles. When that wasn’t happening, I was in boarding schools. To my dad’s slight disgust, I wanted to become a veterinarian like Mom. I finished high school early and did college and the veterinary medical school in three years instead of four," Tanya listed proudly with a smile, “and now when my one year of residency is up, I’ll really be Dr. Goodfellow.” 

Donatello smiled at her, “Was there anything you wanted to be other then a veterinarian?” He asked.

“Yeah. Actually there was one other thing,” she stopped and pointed up at the skeletal anatomical structures of the great dinosaurs. “I wanted to a paleontologist. But I decided that I loved live animals and reptiles better then the dead ones.” She laughed. “So what about you? I heard from April that you did manage to do home courses and gained a degree?”

Donatello smiled proudly. “Yep. I took some courses and earned my degree from Sopho University,” He shook his head then, “it was really something. After I sent off my exam for binary cyberion generators, I waited two weeks for the reply and when I did get it, my bros discovered that I had been mistaken for a girl. On the envelope it said, ‘Miss Donna Tello.’” He paused and gave Tanya an irritated looked when she let out a snort of laughter. 

He rolled his eyes and continued. “Anyway, so I asked Irma Langinstein, April’s klutzy friend, to masquerade as me. There was a whole mess with that. Irma is a man-crazy woman and while she was chasing after the men on the campus, I ended up discovering a plot by the Professor Philo Sopho to destroy the Earth. See, he was using both a binary hexi-decimal retrieval transducer and a giant galvanometric oscilloscope. He tried to change the molecular vibrations of the Earth’s core. He wanted to fling everything from the face of the earth. By then, my brothers had shown up as well and we ended up using a hairpin to stop the oscilloscope. It was one of the less stranger events that has happened in our lives. It was worth it though. I still ended up with my technical engineering degree.” 

They paused in their walking and Donatello groaned as he sat down. His back was starting to ache. 

Tanya sat down next to him. “Your back is starting to hurt then?”

Donatello nodded as he arched his back. The pain lessened, but the ache was still there. “It’s one of the downfalls. I’m not used to carrying extra weight on the front.” 

“You could take small douses of Tylenol. No Aspirin. Warm baths will help. Warm but not hot. And try to rest. In fact, let’s get you home.” Tanya gently took his hand and helped him up. Together, they walked out of the museum. 

It was getting dark when they walked out of the building. “Do you need me to walk you home?” Donatello asked.

“No. We’re going to take a cab to April’s building and I have my car there. Plus the walk will be shorter to your lair from April’s.” She said as she stepped out to hail a cab.

Donatello didn’t tell her, but he was glad for the ride, even if it was to be a short one. Together they rode the five blocks back, and after the fare was paid for and the cab sped away, Tanya turned to Donatello. “Have a good night, Donatello.” Then she leaned forward and gave the turtle a kiss on the cheek and a hug. 

She stepped back and started to walk up the stairs when Donatello grabbed her arm. He took the old fedora off his own head and placed it on Tanya’s. He winked at her and shoved his hands into his pockets and backed into the shadows.

Tanya pulled the hat down slightly and winked back, and with that, she turned and walked up the steps to April’s apartment. 

Donatello waited until the door closed and then shook his head and headed back to the alley where a manhole was waiting to let him head down into the sewers again. He lifted the lid and slid through the manhole, sliding the cover all the way with a kur-thunk that made him think of the lock on a door. His stomach had almost gotten in the way. Lifting those lids might get harder as his belly would get bigger and more in the way.

XXX

Tanya held April’s turtle com again. She was sitting on the couch with Donatello’s hat in her lap. She played with the tattered edges as she stared at the com thoughtfully, then waited a few minutes, then dialed Leonardo’s number. 

Tanya smiled down at the older brother of the turtles. He blinked as if surprised to see her. “Oh, I’m over at April’s. She let me borrow the com. Is Donatello back yet and are the others there?” She asked sweetly.

Leo nodded. “The other turtles are here, but Donatello isn’t back yet, why?”

“Oh, I just want to chat with you three mean green machines.” Tanya continued.

Leonardo looked at her oddly and called the other turtles over. Tanya could hear the moaning and groaning at being disturbed from their places. 

"What do you want? I thought you was hanging out with Donatello?" Raphael questioned lazily, his face peering into the communicator's in-built video camera. 

"Yeah, the Slime Monster eats Paris is coming on in ten," Michelangelo said as he popped his head between his brothers, a slice of pizza in his hand. 

"Aww, poor little turtles.” This time the sweetness in her voice turned sour. She glared down at the turtles. “Guys, you know I can't believe you're being so cold!" Tanya said.

“Your brother is hurting from all the brush offs and cold shoulders. He’s happy about the twins and wants to share this joyful time with you. As odd as it is, you three need to grow up and accept the fact that your brother is going to be a parent. You three were starting to come around with the baby shower. What happened?”

The three turtles stared up at Tanya in shock. “Well, we,” Leonardo began. 

“And, Leonardo, I’m surprised at you. You said that things were going to change. I have yet to see them change. You’re supposed to be his brother and the leader of his family, and all you have done was tease him about being pregnant.” Tanya scolded, her black eyes narrowed. 

Leonardo hung his head as his brothers shifted nervously beside him. He then took a deep breath. “You’re right, Tanya. Things will have to change.”

"Yeah!" Raphael said, a scowl actually crossing his features. "She’s right you know. We have been real jerks. It’s Donatello! He’s our bro." 

“Oh man, I feel so bad now! Thanks a lot, Tanya.” Michelangelo said as he half glared at Tanya. 

Tanya just gave him a full glare in return. She knew that the youngest turtle wouldn’t hold that look for long. She was right. The weak glare faded and he began to look upset.

Tanya’s face softened and she gave them all a gentler look. “I care about Donatello. I care about you all. I don’t expect you all to be gushy or such, but think about how he feels. He needs you all.”

Leonardo looked around at his brothers and they nodded. He turned back to the turtle-com. "We're on it!" The faces of the turtles then disappeared from view.

Swiftly clicking the device off, Tanya handed the com back to April. “Thanks, April. Hopefully they will listen now. Poor Donatello. He was so broken-hearted when we met up. He felt better though when he headed back.”

“They used to be so close, then this happened. I hope that they do take what you said to heart. He needs his brothers.” April said as she put the com away. “So what are you going to do now?”

“I’m going to head home. Maybe pick dinner up on the way.” Tanya said as she picked up her coat and ‘new’ hat. She then smiled. “If my talking to them helped, maybe I should rethink my career choice and become a lawyer or a shrink.” 

April laughed. “Maybe, but you’re doing so good as a veterinarian though.”

“Thanks, April. Well, I’ll see you later.” Tanya put on her coat and waved goodbye. Once outside the apartment building after she placed the hat on her head, she put her hand in her pocket and pulled out the origami flower that Donatello had absentmindly folded in the diner. She smiled as she twirled the paper flower between her fingers as she walked to her car. She thought Donatello had done a good job on it and it was cute.


	15. Chapter 15

Donatello was sitting on the couch a few days later. His brothers were out on their last patrol of the night and Tanya was sitting between him and Splinter. She had come over after work to bring him and Splinter each a sushi tray. She was eating from a bag of popcorn as they watched the TV together. 

Donatello had already finished his tray; the twins seemed to just suck the food right out of him, leaving him almost always hungry. Tanya had laughed when he told her this. He now no longer wore a belt around his waist. His belly kept on expanding and just felt too tight to wear anymore.

He cast a glance at Tanya. She was intently watching the program on the TV. Donatello wasn’t interested in the show. Many thoughts and plans were running through his mind. He dismissed them almost as soon as they came. He dealt with electronics and physics, not emotional ideas. He was a hardened scientist that had a past prejudice against humans. April had been the first human he had known and it still took him awhile to trust her. There had been a few others that showed him that the mammals were almost like him and he like them. 

He didn’t realize he was staring at Tanya when she suddenly turned her head and met his eyes. Donatello’s eyes widened when she smiled. Unexpectedly, he also felt something slip into his left hand and tighten. Donatello’s eyes dropped down to see Tanya’s mocha colored hand in his own. The smoother skin was in struck contrast against his pebbly green skin. He raised his eyes back to hers. She frowned, then started to pull away. 

Automatically, Donatello tightened his hand, keeping hers from escaping.

On the other side of Tanya, Splinter noticed this and hid his smile.

They continued to hold hands until the other turtles came in. They came in noisily with both Raphael and Leonardo discussing something while Michelangelo was just chattering nonstop. Michelangelo slid four pizzas onto the old coffee table. He smiled at Tanya, “Hey there, dudette. How’s it hanging?” 

“Totally rad, dude,” Tanya said with a straight face, while Donatello shook his head and rolled his eyes while smiling. 

Donatello looked over at his other two bros. “How was the patrol?”

Leonardo looked over at this purple wearing brother, “Rather quiet actually. Only two muggings, and even they were by petty punks.” He nodded at Tanya. “Hello, Tanya.”

“Hey.”

“So Tanya, you staying for a late night pizza?” Raphael asked as he flopped down at the coffee table and flipped open one of the cardboard lids. 

Tanya looked down at her watch. “Love to, but can’t. It’s getting late and I have to be at work tomorrow.” She gave Donatello’s hand one last squeeze. 

Raphael had lifted a slice of pepperoni and cream cheese pizza out of the box, when he noticed this. He lowered the slice and watched them intently. A smirk grew on his face as Tanya stood up and pulled on her coat and a very familiar fedora.

“I’ll be too busy tomorrow, so I won’t be able to swing by. But either way, I’ll call you later. And remember, you have an appointment this Saturday. The zoo will be closed. See you later Donatello. Bye guys.” 

“Bye Tanya,” They chorused.

“Bye Tanya,” Donatello waved to her.

She waved back and disappeared out the door. 

“Aww, look at him,” Raphael said, as soon as she shut the door.

"What do you mean, Raphael?" Leonardo said, looking over at Raphael, then Donatello.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Donatello said.

"You tell me." Raphael said as he stood up and crossed his arms.

Michelangelo leaned over the couch, “He’s in love."

Leonardo and Raphael looked at Michelangelo and said, "Obviously."

"Oh please, give me a break, I'm not in love." Donatello said.

"Yes, you are." all three of his brothers said, in unison.

"Then why are you blushing?" Mikey asked.

"I'm not." Donatello said.

"Yes, you are." Replied all three of his brothers, yet again at the same time.

Raphael leaned against the wall by the TV, and began to count on his fingers, “You hang with her quite a bit, and when you ain’t doing that you’re talking to her. Then when its not that it’s ‘Tanya says this’ and ‘Tanya says that.’ Plus we did catch you holding her hand just now. And you gave her your old fedora. The one you wouldn’t even let us borrow.”

Donatello struggled to get up. Once he did, he crossed his arms and gave them all a sour look, “Ok, one, she’s that’s being nice and not judging me because I’m pregnant and because I’m male. Two, she’s one of my doctors and true it may be ‘Tanya says this’ and ‘Tanya says that’ but it’s also ‘Jane says this’ and ‘Jane says that’. And the reason I didn’t let any of you borrow the hat is because for some reason you three are always losing yours.” Donatello said as he looked around at his smirking brothers.

"Well, what about you holding her hand?” Leonardo said gently.

“Yeah bro, how could you not at least have a crush on her? Dude, she's hot!" Michelangelo said.

Leonardo shook his head. “All right, guys. That’s enough. If Donatello doesn’t have a crush on Tanya, then he doesn’t.”

“Thank you, Leonardo,” Donatello said as he turned and walked into his lab.

“Why'd you call it off, Leonardo? He was beginning to crack.” Raphael said as he flopped down onto the couch. 

“Well, remember we need to be more supportive." Leonardo said as he joined his brother.

“What was that called then?” Michelangelo said as he headed to the kitchen.

“That was called teasing.” 

“Hey bro, that’s what we do.” Raphael said, turning to his brother. “Yeah, you were doing it too,” he added.

“I know, I know. But remember what Tanya said, ‘He’s happy about the twins,’ she’s right. I’ve seen it. I know you all have too.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen the way he’s rubbed his stomach. Plus, I have to admit that it’ll be totally rad to be an uncle and have baby turtles running around.” Michelangelo said as he came out of the kitchen with leftover pizza.

It was then that Splinter decided to come out of the shadows he was hiding in. He had been listening and was now glad his students were on their way to becoming brothers again. “I’m proud of you, my students.” 

The three turtles jumped up when the old human, now rat came in. “How so, Master Splinter?” Leonardo asked.

“Ninjitsu teaches one to fight, to defend, helps guide one on the path of honor. But that is a code that one can live by. Life however is a different code and if one does not balance both, one can stray from both paths. There is a point of life where both paths can blend into one. The three of you are back on that path. Your treatment of your brother had you starting down the path of the common life. Joining back together as brothers puts you back on the path. Your brother, Donatello, now has several paths. He is both ninja and scientist. Soon, he will be a parent. Mother and father to the two lives he is carrying. His path will always be rockier now. Some must travel this alone and can make it, but your brother doesn’t have to if he has his family to help.” Splinter fell silent after his little speech.

Leonardo looked at his brothers, then back to Splinter. “We understand.”

“Do you?” 

“Yes. We were wandering off the paths that had been laid out. By accepting what has happened we are back on the paths. Donatello will always have a difficult path because he is both a ninja and a scientist and will have the babies.” Leonardo said.

“Good. Take this all to your heart and learn from it. Now, what are you going to do about it?” He asked as he looked around at the turtles.

They all thought for a moment until Michelangelo spoke up. “I know. We can start by….”

XXX

Donatello came out of his lab. He was wearing the same getup from the day that he had spent with Tanya. He was taking the Turtle Van and normally wouldn’t wear any human clothes, but lastly it had been colder, so he wore the sweatshirt and pants and the trench coat. He had given Tanya the fedora he had worn, but it wasn’t like he didn’t have more so he wore another hat. As he walked to where the Turtle Van was, he was surprised to see his three brothers hanging around the Van.

“Guys, what are you doing here?” He asked.

Leonardo smiled, “We’re coming with you.”

Donatello blinked, “Why?”

“Because bro, we’ve been jerks lately and not there for you.” Raphael said from the driver’s seat. He was half hanging out. 

Michelangelo came up and put an arm around him, “But you are now, dude.” He guided his brother to the van and climbed in, Leonardo following. Raphael started the Van and drove it out of the tunnel that it was parked in.

“So guys, why the change of heart?” Donatello asked.

“Let’s just say our eyes were opened.” Leonardo said.

Donatello looked at them funny, but dropped it. The next few minutes were awkward, but soon they all started to become comfortable. The drive to the zoo wasn’t long so there wasn’t any real conversation. They drove around back where Jane had told Donatello to go to minimize the chances of being spotted. 

Tanya was waiting for them. She smiled at Donatello, and if she was surprised at the sight of his brothers she didn’t show it. “Come on. It’s warmer inside. Mom is just setting up the ultrasound machine.” She waved them in. Donatello followed her as his brothers followed him. 

They walked into the largest exam room. Jane had just finished laying out a series of interments. She looked up and unlike Tanya, she didn’t hide her surprise at the sight of all four turtles. “Hello, Donatello. I didn’t realize you had brought the whole troop.”

“Heh, they kinda followed me.” Donatello said as he walked forward and jumped up onto the table. 

“Yeah, he was wondering if he could keep us.” Raphael said from beside Tanya.

Tanya just rolled her eyes and pulled some gloves on, “Cute Raphael.” She said as she picked up picked up a needle. “Donatello, I’m going to take a blood sample. We are going to see if you aren’t building up any hidden toxins.”

Donatello nodded and held out his right arm, and moved the pad so she could. He had long ago got used to the blood drawing, having even done blood tests on himself. 

All three of the brothers were left to standing and watching the proceeds with big eyes.

Donatello ended up watching them and having to keep his snickers to himself as he laid back. He had a slight superior feeling. As Jane ran the ultrasound probe over Donatello's bulging plastron, an image showed up on the screen of the machine. “There they are.” Jane said as she pointed to the image.

All the turtles leaned forward. “That’s the babies?” Michelangelo asked, pointing at the screen.

“Yep. See here,” she pointed to the image again, “There's the feet... and the hands. It’s rather hard to still see clearly. In fact, we won’t see the babies clearly until they’re born. But we still can see some things like… Oh, see that… that arch? Looks like they are forming a shell. It’ll still be very soft right now, and when they are born.”

“Hey, you keep saying ‘they.’ I only see one.” Raphael said.

“That’s because we are looking at the twins from the side and thicker plastron. If we do this…” Tanya gently poked the side that the probe was on, “this twin will move and we’ll see the other.” When Tanya had poked Donatello, the image on the screen shifted as the twin moved around and another faint image came up. It was the other twin. Donatello had given a slight groan when she had poked his side and made the baby move.

Donatello turned his brown eyes to Tanya, “Can I hear them again?” He asked.

Tanya smiled down at him, then reached over to the ultrasound machine and turned it up, then pushed another button. “Listen to this. That's the heartbeats.”

Leonardo frowned slightly, “That's very fast. Is that good?” He asked.

Jane laughed softly, “Perfectly normal. In fact, everything's perfectly normal.” Jane turned the machine off as Tanya helped Donatello wipe the cold gel off of this sides and plastron. “Ok, Donatello. They’re perfect. There looks to be no damage to the twins from the toxins. The only problem I foresee is that they have moved up to the front of your intestines. But they aren’t putting any pressure on your innards. They will be small at birth. But what worries me is how I’m going to have to go in to get them. I want to try to refrain from cutting into your plastron. It’ll take…”

“The longest to heal. I know. You saw they are going to be small… which side are they on the most? It feels to me that they are evenly spaced, but they have to be leaning to one side the most.” Donatello said as he looked thoughtful.

“It seems that though they were injected in each side, they are favoring the right side the most.” Jane said.

“So, go in that way. They are right beside each other, yes? Then go in that way.” Donatello said as he poked his own side. 

“We may have to. But we’ll decide what to do when you are a week to the due date.” Jane said.

Tanya had disappeared with the ultrasound machine. She had now returned and handed a paper to her mother.

“And when is Donatello due?” Michelangelo asked.

“We had estimated he would carry for six months, but it could be as long as seven. There is no way to be sure. Towards the end of next month, you all will have to help keep an eye on him. He is nearing the end of his fourth month, so there is only two to three months left.” Jane now turned to Donatello. “When Sir implanted the twins in you, he had been giving you dosages of female hormones, then some more. Your body had then begun to produce some of the hormones, then for some reason, it stopped and you almost lost them. We then boosted the hormones again and now your body is producing estrogen and progesterone. So for now, no more of the Rhogam. But we will watch it closely.”

Donatello nodded and slid off the table. “Thank you, Jane.” 

“Very welcome.” She then nodded to the turtles and walked out of the room, all the turtles following her. At the door, Tanya slipped a large manila envelope in his hands. “I want you and your brothers and Splinter to come over to our apartment next week. And don’t open this until you get home.” 

“Thanks, Tanya.” He smiled. He looked at her with a cute, shy expression of his. 

“Welcome. Now go on.” She smiled and waved to his brothers waiting in the Van, then turned and went back inside.

Donatello climbed awkwardly into the Van and before his brothers could say anything, he turned his brown eyes on them. “Not one remark, agreed?”

“What? I wasn’t going to say anything. Right, bros?” Raphael said as he braided his hands.

“Not me.” Michelangelo said.

“Not me.” Leonardo agreed.

Donatello continued to stare at his brothers before he turned away, not noticing the others beginning to grin. But as for them coming to his appointment with him, the trio had been amazed at being able to see the babies finally, see them move, and hear their heartbeats. Donatello hoped that having them see his babies would really make them want to have the babies around even more.


	16. Chapter 16

Donatello held the ultrasound pictures up to the light again. It had already been a week since Tanya had given him the pictures and he never got tired of looking at the them.

When he had gotten back to the lair, he had pulled them out of the large envelope. For hours, he and Master Splinter had looked at the pictures. Even his brothers had rejoined to look at the pictures.

Everything was much better. His bros didn’t walk on eggshells anymore or ignore him. There was still the teasing, but it had lightened to the point that even Donatello would laugh every now and then. Donatello smiled to himself as he traced the outline of one of the twins. He slid the pictures back into the envelope just as he heard the footsteps of the others. 

Leonardo walked into view and looked at the envelope in Donatello’s hand to Donatello.

“You still looking at the pictures?” He asked.

Donatello looked up and nodded. “Yeah, I just can’t help it.”

Leonardo shook his head but didn’t say a word about it. “Alright. Come on. Everyone is just about ready.”

Donatello nodded and stood up slowly. He was already bundled and ready to go. Tanya had called the day before and reminded them to meet up at her and Jane’s apartment. He grimaced as he did so. It was indeed getting worse. After cracking his back, he followed his bro out to the Turtle Van. Everyone was already in the van. Michelangelo and Raphael had given up their seat in the front so that Master Splinter and Donatello could sit in the more comfortable seats. 

Donatello slid into the seat and looked longingly over at the driver’s seat. He had loved to drive, but now his belly got in the way and the wheel din’s adjusted and he knew it would be pointless to adjust it since he was so close to the end of the pregnancy. 

“So, Leonardo. You sure you got the right directions?” Raphael asked from the back as Leonardo pulled out of the sewer tunnel and onto the roads.

“Yeah bro, 1984 West Street. It’s just as we enter Queens. Tanya said she’ll be waiting out in front.” Leonardo said as he turn onto the highway that would take them to northern Queens. 

Pointless chatter dominated the rest of the ride. The whole trip took a total of half an hour. When they pulled up to Tanya’s, they stared up at the rusty, red brick building. It was nestled in one of the nicer and quieter parts of Queens. True to her word, Tanya was leaning by the door, the outside light on and was reading in the dim light. She was wearing a cream colored sweater and a pair of black jeans. The old ratty fedora was sitting on her head as she scanned the thick book she was reading.

She looked up when she heard the van pull up. Her round face lit up with a smile and waited until the turtles and Splinter were standing in front of her. “Hey, guys. Master Splinter.” She greeted them. 

“Hey, Tanya,” was the greeting from three of the turtles. Michelangelo’s greeting was more along the lines of, “Good to see you Tanya, babe.”

“Pleased to see you again, Miss Goodfellow.” Master Splinter said with a formal bow.

“Oh, just call me Tanya. I’d prefer that.” She said as she waved them on inside. “You all can hang your coats up here.” She pointed to the hooks that were in the foyer. 

The turtles hung up the coats as Donatello began to struggle out of his. Tanya shooed the other turtles in to the main part of the house. “You go on. There is a small buffet loaded up with all kinds of food, so go help yourselves.” 

That was all it took for three turtles to hurry into the house with Splinter following behind them. Excited mutterings and greetings to the two other human adults in the room, it was quiet for a few seconds, then a loud shout from Michelangelo. “PIZZA, dudes! I love you, Tanya!” 

Tanya laughed at that. “He must have found the pizzas. Like I’d forget that.” She watched Donatello struggle out of the sweater that he was wearing. “Donatello… you want some help with that?”

Donatello stopped struggling and looked at her in hopelessness. He had his arms up and the sweater seemed to be caught on something behind him. “Please?” he asked in a small voice.

“Sure thing.” She crossed behind him and saw the problem. The inside of the old sweater was becoming frayed and the strands had got caught on the rougher patches of Donatello’s shell. She began to tug at it, the strands coming undone.

“This is quite embarrassing, you know. Me, a scientist and a ninja, defeated by an old mess of cotton and wool.” Donatello said from his trap of clothing.

“You’re not defeated yet. Alright.” She came back to the front of Donatello and grabbed onto the sweater. “Here we go!” She gave a pull as Donatello stepped back. But she pulled a little too hard and Donatello, who was already off balance, fell forward. 

There was a pained yelp that wasn’t his. Fear flashed though him because he knew he had landed on his stomach. But then it registered that he didn’t land on the hard tile of the foyer, but on something soft. He finished pulling the loosened sweater off and looked down at what he landed on. Or more like whom? 

Tanya was staring up at him in slight annoyance. She shook her head as Donatello realized what had happened. He had fallen right on her, his instinctive curl protected his stomach and Tanya’s own curl underneath him. “Uh sorry,” he said in a soft, shy voice.

“Ahhmm,” Tanya said warily. She stared up into Donatello’s eyes. She didn’t bother to volunteer to move and strangely, neither did Donatello. It was then that the twins decided to act up. They kicked out so hard that both Donatello and Tanya let out a gasp. Tanya had actually felt them move too!

“Oh my god...” a voice gaped.

There was a chouse of snickers and Donatello looked up and Tanya tilted her head back and they both saw April with her hand on her mouth, a look of surprise on her face. 

Donatello’s brothers all had smirks on their green faces. “Am I really seeing this?” Michelangelo asked, turning to look at Leonardo for answers, as if to be sure he hadn’t eaten one too many pizzas. 

Not knowing what else to say, Leonardo simply nodded, trying to put his world back together while absentmindedly wondering if this also meant that Hell was well on its way to freeze over. “I think so,” he said.

“Guys,” Raphael said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. “We can’t even leave ya alone for more than what, five minutes?” He asked, turning to Don, who quickly corrected him.

“For your information,” Donatello said, pushing himself up, Tanya letting out a small pained groan when he accidentally pressed on her own belly a little too hard. “I was stuck in my sweater and Tanya was helping me get it off when we slipped and fell.”

“Yeah?” Raphael inquired with a smirk. “You slipped, you say?”

“Suurre.” They all three chorused.

April got over her shock and began to shoo the turtles back into the main room. “Alright, wise guys… go on.” She turned to Donatello and Tanya. He was helping her back up.

“You two ok?” She asked.

“Yeah. I broke Donatello’s fall. Everything is fine.” Tanya said as she rubbed her belly. “You go on and we’ll be there in a minute.” 

April nodded and turned and round the corner. Tanya turned back to Donatello. “So you are alright?”

Donatello nodded, “Yeah, but I’m so sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Tanya waved him off. “Oh no. I’m fine, but we better head in there now before they all come back.” 

Donatello nodded and followed Tanya into the main room where everyone else was. Splinter was sitting in a chair talking to Jane while Raphael and Michelangelo were hanging by the table and Leonardo was inspecting a bonsai tree that was sitting on a table by the closed window.

Tanya nudged Donatello to a table that was laid out with food. He stood beside his two brothers and shook his head before they could even open their mouths. They shut up but it didn't stop them from laughing quietly. He glared at them once more before he began to snack on the veracious foods, even trying a small piece of pizza. 

After everyone was bored of eating, they all sat around and talked. Suddenly, April remembered something. She looked around to everybody. “Hey guys, remember Irma?” She asked.

There were nods and slight snickers. April smiled, then continued. “Well as you all know, I do stay in contact with her from time to time.”

“How is the ol’ klutz?” Raphael asked.

April laughed. “She’s doing just fine. In fact, she’s finally caught a man. Albert Browing is his name and he’s asked her to marry him. Apparently, he’s just as bit as clumsy as she is. Anyway, she asked about you all and I told her the short version of what happened, Donatello. She thought you had gotten together with a girl, but I had to clarify it.” April let out a small laugh. “Well, Irma did her normal freak out, but she calmed down. Donatello, Irma says that she's happy for you. She mentioned sending you something through the mail, but I wouldn’t count on it.” 

The turtles just laughed and shook their heads. 

“Wait! This Irma… she’s that man-crazy woman that you asked to masquerade as you, Donatello?” Tanya asked.

Donatello nodded, but before he could say anything, Raphael began to tease him. “This girl was so desperate for a guy, that she even chased after Donatello some.”

After awhile of laughing and joking, Jane turned to Donatello. “So, you were the one that gave Tanya that old hat?”

Donatello nodded. “Yeah. I gave it to her. If I didn’t, she would’ve stolen it anyway.” 

Everyone let out a laugh as Tanya began to protest. Donatello grinned, “Heh, she kept taking it away, so to keep my other hats safe, I gave her that one.”

Jane laughed, “It wouldn’t make a difference. She’d had found a way to get it. She told you about her hat fixation when she was younger? It was horrible!”

Tanya began to fake a cough, “Yeah well, enough about that! Donatello? Have you thought of names for the twins?” she asked Donatello to turn the attention away from her.

“Only in passing.” He admitted.

“Well, let’s all do that. I have five books with names in them. We came to think of them and write down names that sound good.” Jane said as she got up and walked to the bookshelf and pulled out said books. She began to pass them around.

“So, Donatello,” Master Splinter spoke up, “any particular names you have thought of?” 

Donatello thought for a minute, “I’d like to keep them Italian.”

Splinter smiled, knowing the reason behind the choice.

“So you're sticking with the Italian theme that Splinter started?" April asked as she flipped through her own book.

Donatello nodded and opened a book of his own. The next few hours were quiet expect with the occasional laugh and comment. When everyone was done, there was a long list of boy and girl names.

“Oh dear. How are we going to do this?” April said as they all stared at the list.

Leonardo narrowed his eyes in thought. “I know. How about we put the boy names in one hat and the girl ones in another, and let Donatello draw the names? Two for if the twins are boys, two for if they are girls.” 

Splinter nodded in approval. “That is a very good idea, my student.”

It was settled, the names were written on pieces of paper and put into two hats. After Tanya shook the paper up, she held out the hat with the boys names in it. Donatello reached in and grabbed a first one, and then another. He withdrew his hand and opened the first one. 

“Gregorio,” the first one read, and then he opened the second. “Alessando.” 

“Beautiful names.” Jane said. “Who chose them?” She asked.

“I chose Alessando,” Master Splinter spoke up. He hadn’t looked through any of the books.

“And I chose Gregorio,” Leonardo said.

Donatello thought about the names. “I actually do like them. Ok, if they are boys, they will be Alessando and Gregorio.” He then reached into the girl’s hat that Tanya had handed out to him. Again he repeated the process and when he opened the two pieces of paper, he felt joy when he recognized one of the many names he had chosen. 

“Benedetta,” he read, and then read the other one. “Carina.”

“Who chose them?” Michelangelo asked, slightly disappointed none of the names he had chosen had been picked.

“I chose Benedetta,” Donatello said.

“And I chose Carina.” Tanya spoke up. 

As the others began to chatter on, Donatello looked thoughtfully at Tanya as she began to help her mother and April pick up the books. Suddenly, a green hand was waved in front of his face.

“Donatello? Earth to Donatello?” Raphael said.

Donatello blinked and looked at his brother. “What?”

“I asked if you were ready to go?” Raphael asked. Donatello looked around. 

Michelangelo and Splinter had already said their goodbyes and were heading out to the van. 

“Oh yes. I am prepared.” 

Raphael looked closely at his bro. A lazy grin crossed his face. “You’re thinking about Tanya, weren’t you?”

Donatello blushed, “I was not!” He protested.

“If you weren’t thinking about her, then you were looking at her rather closely.” He pressed.

“No! I mean-”

“Whatever, dude.” Raphael rolled his eyes and walked toward the foyer to grab his own trench coat.

Tanya then walked over to Donatello with a large paper bag. She pushed it into his arms. “Here. I want you to have it.”

“Thanks, Tanya. And thank you for inviting us over.” He said shyly.

"Hey, no big deal. I love hanging out with you guys.”

"Oh… uh, sure," he said, shifting his gaze to the thick maroon carpet. He then looked up with a sly look in his eyes. "Oyasuminasai."Yoi yume o.," he said, tossing her a playful wink. Then, in a surprising show of suaveness and braveness on his part, Donatello uttered another sentence in Japanese, "Kisu shite-mo ii?", then leaned forward and placed a chaste small kiss upon Tanya’s lips, courtesy of his beak-shaped mouth. Then, his brain seemed to catch up with him and he blushed, and then was off to the foyer and out the door and into the Turtle Van as fast he could waddle.

A moment later, Tanya stared, with her mouth slightly open, then closed her mouth and shook her head. Her mother walked by. 

“Tanya? What’s wrong, Honey?” She asked.

Tanya pressed her hands to her cheeks, which she knew was burning. “Uh, nothing, Mom! Need help with that?” Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed the dishes out of her mother’s arms and hurried to the kitchen. Her mother was staring after her with a confused look on her face.

XX

On the way home, Donatello tried to hide his own blushing cheeks by opening the paper bag that Tanya had given him. He looked in the bag and held back a snort of laughter.

“What is it?” Leonardo asked from the back. Raphael was taking his turn at driving the van. 

Instead of answering them, he held up the huge, dark gray sweater. Laughter burst all around at the sight of the turtle neck sweater.

("May I kiss you?" can easily be asked by saying "Kisu shite-mo ii?"  
Oyasuminasai- Means good night   
And Yoi yume o - means sweet dreams.)


	17. Chapter 17

“Oh come on, Donatello. I know this is embarrassing. Even though you’re not giving birth the natural way, you need to learn to control your breathing. While you’re in labor waiting for the c-section, you will need some breathing techniques to help keep calm or the strain of the natural instinct to push could damage something internally.” April said.

“I know, I know. It’s just so hard.” Donatello said from the floor.

April was sitting behind him, a pillow between her belly and Donatello’s rough shell, while Tanya was having a hard time concentrating on her studies. She was stretched out on her belly on April’s couch, the thick book open in front of her. She was trying to read and write down notes, but the sight of Donatello laying on the floor in the birthing position and her mother trying to coach him along with the Lamaze video that was playing in April’s VCR. Every time she looked up and over at the three, she would feel the laughter bubbling up inside and she would have to hide her face in the book.

“Stretch back out, Donatello. Every woman that gives birth needs to do these.” April said from behind him.

“I’m not a woman…” Donatello mumbled in irritation.

“But you are giving birth in a month or so, so stop acting like a child and…”

“I AM A CHILD!” Donatello burst out. He glared at all of the women in the room. “I don’t want to do this! This is degrading and… and…” Donatello struggled to get up. The effect that he was going for was ruined by his clumsy try to climb to his feet.

Jane stood as well and glared right back at him. “Actually, a young adult. So start acting like one.”

“No. I refuse to do these silly Lamaze classes.” With that, he turned and stomped over to April’s window and out and up to the roof.

“Wow. Sweet turtle does have a bit of a temper.” Tanya said from her spot.

“Thank you, Tanya for volunteering to go get him.” Jane said. She let out a sigh and sat down.

Tanya looked at her mother with her mouth open. “What?! Up to the roof? I can’t; you know how I am with heights.”

“You’ll be fine. The fire escape has railings and you don’t need to go far.” April said.

“Tell him I’m making him an apple and pickle milkshake. He had said that he had been craving one.”

“What… no fish sticks in that?” Tanya mumbled as she closed her book and headed out to where the turtle had gone. Swallowing her fear, she climbed out the window and gripped the railings like her life depended on it. Slowly, she climbed up. Thankfully it wasn’t as cold and she only wore a jacket.

The weather was beginning to warm slightly as spring was on the way soon. When she reached the roof, she hurried away from the edge and then looked around. She finally spotted Donatello leaning against the small water tower that sat on April’s apartment building. He was staring out across the city.

"Donatello?”

Donatello turned around quickly in surprise. He had tears in his eyes.

“Donatello… you’re crying? Why are you crying?" Tanya asked, her normally teasing voice all serious. She reached out and touched his shoulder tenderly. Ashamed of his weeping, Donatello hastily wiped his eyes as he adverted his head.

"Leave me alone." Came the shaky reply.

"Nuh-uh. I can't do that. You aren’t just upset by that little show in there are you? What’s wrong?”

Donatello finished wiping his eyes and looked back to her. “I’m scared. Me and my bros can face any villain that comes along, but when it comes to this, I’m lost. The others are helping as much as they can, but they don’t truly understand. And I know that you and April and Jane are helping me with those… classes. I guess the reality of the situation is just setting in and it’s scaring me.”

Tanya smiled. “Every woman is scared I guess. Even if they have had one or more kids. Just relax and enjoy this. You do like being pregnant, right?”

Donatello smiled then. “Yes. I think I do. Though I wouldn’t want to go through this again. The twins are pretty well behaved. Though every night at exactly midnight, they want to act out. Like they’re doing some sort of sibling rivalry thing.”

Tanya giggled. “So the hormonal backlash is over now. Or at least until next time?”

Donatello blushed furiously at that. “I’m so sorry about that.”

“It’s expected. Though I have to say you surprised April a bit. I told her that even the sweet turtle has a bit of a temper.”

Again Donatello blushed.

“So you ready to go back in? April is making you a apple and pickle milkshake.” Tanya wrinkled her nose as she said this.

Donatello had to laugh at her face. Then they both heard Donatello's stomach growling. He bowed his head and closed his eyes in embarrassment. He put a hand on his swollen belly.

“Let me guess, the twins are behind this?” Tanya teased.

“How’d you guess?” Donatello rolled his eyes as he smiled. He took Tanya’s hand and startled pulling her toward the fire escape stairs.

Tanya balked. “Uh... Donatello,” she said hesitantly.

His brown eyes looked back at her.

“As much as I like being this close to you, can we please use the other stairs?”  
  
For a minute Donatello looked at her, trying to process what she had just said. _She likes being close to me?_ He thought as he looked into her black eyes. Suddenly he smiled.

“You’re afraid of heights?” He guessed. He then nodded. “Of course we can.”

Tanya and Donatello made their way quickly down the stairs. “It’s rather silly and common, but I can’t help it. I just get really nervous when I’m up higher then five feet.”

“No, not silly at all.” Donatello said as he walked slowly behind Tanya. He let out a groan when they got to the bottom of the stairs to April’s floor. Donatello leaned against the wall in the shadows while Tanya kept a lookout. “Leonardo was scared of snakes for a long time. He’s over that fear, but he still can’t stand them.”

Tanya let out snort of laughter. “What?”

“Snakes? But they are reptiles… like him. How odd.” Tanya said.

“I know. It was rather shocking to find out he was petrified at the mere sight of them.” Donatello stood back up straighter and began walking again.

It didn’t take long to get back to April’s apartment. Tanya knocked on the door and Jane opened it. “I see Tanya talked you into taking the long way.” She noted.

Tanya pushed her way past. “Oh please.”

“I didn’t mind.” Donatello said as he followed. He saw that April was on the phone.

“April’s going to be awhile. So, while we wait, let’s finish the breathing exercises.” Jane said as she indicated the spot were the pillows were arranged.

Donatello let out a grumble while Tanya snickered. Jane turned her eyes to her daughter. “And you will take April’s place as the coach.”

“What!?”

It was Donatello’s turn to laugh at Tanya. “You thought you was going to get out of it, did you?”

Tanya sighed heavily, acting like it was a big thing, though she didn’t truly mind. The only reason she hadn’t helped before was because she still was taking some college classes and her schoolwork had been suffering since she had met the turtles. She had been studying while her mother and April were coaching Donatello.

She took April’s place, her back against one of the chairs. She pulled the pillow that April had across her belly. Donatello watched her, then with a sigh and he struggled to get down, his belly much bigger now. He leaned back and began again with the rather embarrassing instructions.

When Jane finally called an ending to the lessons, Donatello’s bros were already on their way over to visit and pick him up. None of them allowed him to walk to April’s. He had had a mind to protest, but the ache in his back had him agreeing.

April was finally making the promised milkshake while Donatello rested from his spot on the floor still. Tanya was still pinned behind him, but she didn’t mind. And neither did Donatello.

She had returned to studying and was using Donatello’s large baby bump to help prop the textbook up so that she could read over Donatello’s shoulder. He was holding the book reading at the same time Tanya was. She had her head resting on Donatello’s shoulder while she read from behind him. He was curious to see what she was reading and studying.

When they heard the other turtles, Donatello marked Tanya’s place and set the book aside, then struggled to get up while Tanya pushed him, her hands firmly against his shell. After much groaning he finally stood up. His brothers walked in just as he stood upright and groaned, “I think I may need a back brace before this is over with."

Tanya giggled while his brothers laughed. As much as he did enjoy being pregnant with his babies, like he had said before, he didn't want to go through this again. Getting up was just too hard now in these later stages, and there was too much fuss about food and danger to his condition. And he didn't want to have these back pains anymore.

“So Donatello, how long did it take you to get up this time?” Raphael asked as he flopped down on the couch beside Jane. She let out a small yelp as she bounced from the force of the shorter, but heavier turtle as he settled down. She gave him a small stare, then stood with as much dignity as she could muster after letting out the girlish yelp and tossed Raphael the remote.

“Thanks, babe.” He winked at the older woman.  
  
Jane blinked and then shook her head and glared at her daughter, who was behind Donatello. Tanya had her mouth covered and was trying hard not to laugh. She was letting out little snorts of laughter.

Tanya was saved when April came in with Donatello’s shake. “Hey, guys!” She smiled and hugged her turtles. “How long are you staying? I can put a pizza in the oven.”

“Righteous notion, dudette!” Michelangelo commented as he made himself comfortable on the couch and tried to grab the remote away from his brother.

“No, thank you, April.” Leonardo said. “We told Splinter that we wouldn’t be long.”

“That’s ok. Maybe next time?” April said as she handed Donatello his milkshake.

“Sure. So Donatello, how did those lessons go?” Leonardo turned to Donatello.

Donatello paused in drinking his apple and pickle milkshake. “Horrible.”

Tanya laughed and patted his shoulder. “It went fine. He’s just being a big baby right now.”

Donatello ignored Tanya as he watched his brothers channel surf. Something caught his eye. “Stop! Go back!” He handed the glass to Tanya as he moved forward looking at the TV intently. The channel was flipped back and it was the evening news.

“It is a sad day for two families. Two one-week-old infants were stolen from their homes early this morning. It all happened around the same time which led authorities to believe that it was the work of two or more accomplices.” The news lady went on showing the pictures of an Asian baby girl and a Caucasian baby girl. Donatello listened some more in horror as the police came on and in the deepest regret told the interviewer that they had no leads as of yet.

“Oh god. Those poor parents,” April said as she stared at the TV in horror. All of them were shaking their heads.

They listened to the news some more, Donatello getting increasingly agitated. Leonardo saw this and decided it was time to usher his brother home. Tanya walked with them down to the Turtle Van. She gave the other turtles hugs and a kiss on the cheek for Donatello.

“In one week, Donatello you will have your last appointment, then we’ll get everything set up for the due date.” She closed the door. “You take care and take it easy. Don’t get upset too much.” He couldn’t help but feel excited that he would soon see his unborn twins.

Donatello looked down at her and nodded. “I’ll try. Talk to you later.” He waved to her as Raphael started the Turtle Van and pulled away. _'Don’t get upset.'_ He thought. _'I’ll try, but I can’t help but feeling sorry for those families. They lost their babies.'_

Donatello was a real emotional turtle right now with his pregnancy. Each time he would even see a mom or dad on the street pushing a baby stroller or carrying a baby made him long for his own even more. He couldn't bear the thought of losing his too. He had grown to love them so much. But his on the other hand would be wanted more by scientists than anything and he would make sure that didn't happen.

He wanted to catch these criminals.

And as it would go on that there were going to be several more kidnappings of newborn babies for awhile longer.

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

The next few days had Donatello either glued to the TV or scanning the papers. Five more babies were taken from either homes or the hospital. Two more girls and three boys. The race didn’t matter. It seemed that whoever was taking the children were kidnapping the easiest targets.

Donatello who hated fighting, he… and his brothers viewed any violence against ones that didn’t know how or couldn’t fight back the highest form of dishonor and cowardice. But stealing babies from their loving families, from their mothers and fathers had Donatello grinding his teeth in rage.

Every time he would see a new news report, he clenched his fists and stormed off to his lab. In the past, it would have bothered him, but now with him pregnant and close and attached to his two unborn babies, he was even more aggravated.  
  
His brothers were just as distressed. But they were stressed between helping keep Donatello calm and under control so that he wouldn’t invariantly set off labor early. Tanya and Jane had stressed how important it was for them to help keep Donatello calm.

  
They tried to keep him busy by running out and getting baby supplies, like changing stations and even walkers and toys like even though some of the items were already gotten or wouldn’t even need until much later in the babies' lives. They got the things so that they could have Donatello keep his mind off of the reports and the upcoming birth.  
  
One day, they were all watching TV and Donatello was putting one of the toys together and even improving it. He was programming more opinions into the simple mobile. He didn’t want to be alone in his lab. In the past, he’d love to stay in the lab as much as he could, but now he wanted to be closer to any living being. So he was sitting in a easy chair that was a gift from April, a table with his tools and such sitting in front of him.

Leonardo was off doing his katas while Raphael and Michelangelo were watching some shows on TV. Michelangelo keep looking over at his brainy brother. Finally, during a break, he cleared his throat. “So, Donatello… what’s it like to be pregnant?”

Donatello turned his head sharply to his brother. The orange masked turtle had lost interest in the show and was now staring at him with a contemplating look. In fact, all eyes had turned to Donatello. He cocked his head in confusion at first, but joy spread through him. He laughed and put the small motor that he held in his hands down. “There are its ups and downs. But overall I believe it’s the most wonderful experience.”

Donatello paused, enjoying his brothers’ looks of disbelief and wonder. He then grinned at them. “However, I don’t want to go through this again. Getting up is just too hard now in this later phase, and it’s just too much of an inconvenience about food and danger to my condition… and I just don’t want to have these back pains anymore.”

“So,” Raphael said, “Donatello... you have any idea as to what the twins are?”

Donatello shook his head. “No idea. The books tell me a lot of different things about the types of food I ate and have been craving. One minute it says it could be a girl, the next a boy.”

“Can’t Jane and Tanya tell what they are with that ultrasound machine?” Leonardo asked. He had been drawn into the conversation, his dark eyes filled in curiosity.

“Jane did try to tell the genders of them, but she can't. It’s too hard to tell so we have to wait until the birth. Male–female twins are the most common result and make up 50 percent of twins, then both female twins, then followed by both being male twins.”

“Well, what would you prefer?” Leonardo asked.

“It doesn’t really matter as long as they are healthy and safe.” Donatello replied as he picked back up the motor he had been working on and adding a few more twicks to it.

“Oh, come on… there has to be a preference.” Michelangelo pressed.

"I wouldn't mind a daughter." Donny muttered.

Raphael grinned. “I see. Our soon to be father\mother wants a _girl_.”

Donatello looked up fast at his brother then smiled. “One girl would be nice at least.” He then pressed a button on the motor and after a second, it stared humming, then a soft sound floated out. Instead of the ‘Rock-a-Bye baby' and other little songs the musical motor hummed out “Fur Elise” and other Beethoven and Mozart pieces.

His brothers looked at him, then began to laugh, Donatello laughing along with them. A lot of tension was lifted. The rest of the evening passed as it had in the past before everything had happened.

His bros had even wanted to try to feel them move. He had let them. They felt more on the right side. Soon, in about a month, his twins would be born and he would finally see the little miracles that had been using his organs as punching bags. Or at least one of them had been using his organs as punching bags. His twins had grown side by side in front of his organs and the one on his right side seemed more active and rowdy than the other.

Donatello was laying in bed with his hand over his large belly. He rested his hand upon the right side, feeling the more active twin moving. His other hand came up and rested on the other side where the least active twin was. It was just a fluttering. “Move please,” he whispered.

As if they heard him, the active twin kicked out and caused the other to move in annoyance. Donatello smiled and with both his hands on his belly, he slipped into a light sleep.

Xxx

“Sorry, Donatello. They’re still not in a position to see what they are. Also, they are in separate amniotic sacs that seem rather thicker then normal.” Jane said as she ran the probe over the cold, slimy mess of jelly on Donatello's bulging belly.

“What!?” Donatello tried to rise up, but was forced back down by Tanya. She was standing at his head so that when she bent over him, she seemed to be upside down.

“Easy, Donatello. Think as to what you are. Both human and turtle. Use that big brain of yours.” She smiled gently and Donatello calmed himself down and put his brain to work.  
  
He relaxed and smiled sheepishly, “So they seemed to have developed an egg like casing that doubles as the human amniotic sac and eggshell. But will they be live birth?” Donatello asked. “You have said that they would be, but has that changed?”

Jane turned the robot off. “No. My opinion has not differed from that. They will be live birth.” Tanya started giggling for some reason. Donatello and Jane looked at her. “What?” asked Donatello.

“Oh, something just crossed my mind. Have you ever seen the remake of ‘The Fly’ and ‘The Fly II’?” Tanya asked.

Donatello looked up at her funny, then nodded. “Yeah, though there were so many things wrong with the movie. First off-“ Then it realized on him and he started shaking his head. “Oh no! I don’t need that visual!”

As Tanya started giggling, her mother shook her head. “Tanya… some help you are. Donatello, it won’t quite be that bad.” She handed Tanya a towel. “You help wipe that gel off his belly and _you_ can calm the poor turtle down.'' Jane walked out with a huff.

Tanya put on a serious face as she tried to calm a poor, sputtering Donatello as he envisioned all kinds of scenarios. His hormones were going sky crazy in preps of the upcoming birth. “Donatello… Donatello, calm down. I’m sorry.” Tanya took Donatello’s head in her hands and forced him to look at her. His brown eyes were wide. “Take a deep breath. Now you know better. Mind over matter.”

Donatello took a deep breath and raised his own hands to cover hers. “I’m calm. You’re right. Lately, I haven’t been able to think clearly.”

Tanya smiled and nodded her head. “It’s alright. I should know better myself. I’m sorry.” She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his beak, then pulled her hands away.

“Well… let’s get this stuff off your belly.”

Donatello nodded and took the towel that Tanya handed him. It took only a few minutes and when he was done, both he and Tanya left the office. They walked through the small hall to the main lobby of the clinic. Jane was at the main desk typing on the computer.

Donatello’s brothers were even there. Leonardo talking with Jane as she typed, Raphael occasionally making some sarcastic remarks, while Michelangelo was peering into the pens of some puppies that were in the lobby that were put out for possible adoption.

“Hey, guys.” Donatello greeted them.

“Hey, bro.” Leonardo looked up. “We were just going over some last minute details before Jane sets the date.”

“Yep. Soon we’ll see those little ‘ankle biters’ of yours, Donatello.” Raphael quipped.

Tanya half frowned and half smiled at Raphael, “You do know that they could very well be ‘ankle biters,’ don't you?”

Raphael stared at her for a second, then ‘harrumphed.’ “It’ll still be awhile before they bite anything. And when they do, we’ll let them chew on Michelangelo’s head. It might improve his looks.”

Michelangelo heard this and began to protest while Donatello’s nerves began to wear thin. He had just glimpsed a newspaper on one of the chairs.

“Five More Infant Disappearances…”

Donatello glared at the newspapers like they were responsible.

“Donatello?”

Donatello jumped and looked over to where Tanya, Jane, and Leonardo were. They were staring at him. Even Raphael and Michelangelo were. “Oh heh, sorry. What were you saying?”

“I was saying that if you don’t come into labor on your own by 5th of next month, we’ll have to induce labor on the next day.” Jane said.

“Really?”

“You bet. In fact, here.” Tanya pulled out some flyers and handed them to Donatello. He looked down at them. They were information packets on cesarean section.

“Tanya… where did you get these?” He had to question after seeing the ‘Do not remove from Hospital Property.'

Tanya grinned sheepishly, “Guess.”

Donatello gasped. “You didn’t?!”

Tanya shrugged, but still looked slightly guilty. “I did what I had to. I had to fake being both a human doctor and a pregnant woman. Your own books are good, but these are better. I’ll do anything for you- for the twins.” Tanya then realized how that sounded and looked around at everyone staring at her.

She blushed just as hard as Donatello, then cleared her throat. “Well, everything you need to know is in there. You'll also have to refrain from eating or drinking for eight to 12 hours before the surgery. Either Mom or me will call you and remind you. Ahh… and… ahh…” Tanya stopped talking when she noticed everyone was still staring at her.

Donatello still had a blush on his cheeks, but was also staring at her as if contemplating something. His brothers all had smirks on their faces. Her mother also had a thoughtful expression on her face. Tanya’s face then began heat up. She looked at her wrist. “Well look at that… I just remembered that I have a paper to turn in to the Dean. I hate to leave but… I really have to go!” With that, she then fled with a panicked look on her face.

“Well I’ll be. Looks like Tanya has a crush on you, Donatello.” Raphael grinned.

“What? I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” Donatello said as he gathered the books and flyers up and walked out the door.

“Denial is the river in Egypt, Donatello.” Michelangelo called after his still blushing brother.

“Well, this is going to be interesting.” Jane said as she finally blinked and turned back to her typing.

“What do you mean, Jane?" Leonardo asked.

“Just that is seems both are in denial.” Jane said without looking up.

“You aren’t surprised or disgusted?” Leonardo asked, surprised himself.

“Nope. Should I be?” Jane finally looked up and gave them a small smile.

“Well… I’m not pushing our luck with this. Hey, you up to playing matchmaker?” Michelangelo said.

Jane was a little surprised, but she knew that it was going to be interesting. Both Donatello and her daughter were old enough to start relationships. "Sure, I'll help out as best I can." It was now agreed. Donny's bro's and Jane were going to try to get them together.

The show began.

Xx

Jane began talking to Tanya and asking her if she really liked Donatello. She said yes and was uncertain about what to do next.

Donatello's bros were doing the same to him, though he didn't like to admit it, even though he did like her too. But his concerns were still more on the babies being kidnapped in the city. He was also concerned about his own pregnancy as well.

 


	19. Chapter 19

As the month wore on, the kidnappings got a lot worse. Donatello, the ever pacifist, begged his brothers to let him go out on the patrols with them. They answered every time with frowns and shakes of the head. They were too worried about him and him being ever so close to the due date. 

Every time they left to go on their patrols, Donatello took to pacing. It took Splinter to ordering Donatello to sit with him while his brothers did their patrol. Splinter had Donatello let him know about the doctor visits and what Jane and Tanya would tell him and what he was planning with his children. Splinter in turn gave advice.

And every time Donatello’s brothers came back, they had no news on any sightings of the kidnappers. 

“Sorry, Bro,” Leonardo shrugged. He too had been slightly fretting about the fact that nobody even saw who these people were or even how many there were. He even had called up the vigilante, Casey Jones to help keep an eye out. The tall human was livid. But even he, who spent most of his time looking for crime, hadn’t seen anything. 

Leonardo had to admit that these baby snatchers were good. 

Donatello’s shoulders slumped as anger rose. 

Raphael saw this and patted his brother on the back of the shell. “I’m sorry, bro,” he said, completely serious.

“Yeah, I know how much you want those baby snatchers behind bars.” Michelangelo said as he made his way over to the refrigerator. He looked back over at Donatello, “You hungry?”

Donatello shook his head. “No… I’m not.”

Raphael blinked. “That’s a first. Not even fish sticks? I’m sure we have some.” He looked over at Michelangelo, who nodded and looked into the freezer part.

“No thanks, guys… I have some things I need to do. Tanya and the books say I’m going to be almost bedridden for a while. I want to get these things out of the way.” With that, he stood up and walked out of the room.

“Wow. The poor dude is really down.” Michelangelo said.

“Yeah, I wish we could do something for him.” Leonardo agreed. 

“This kidnapping has been going on for weeks and I’m angry about it, but he seems to be taking it harder then normal.” Raphael said as he scratched his head. “I’m not too sure why though.”

“It’s because he himself is about to give birth. He can symphonize with the mothers that are missing their children. He is fearful.” Splinter said as he stood up from the table.

“What can we do to help him?” Leonardo asked.

“Give him your support. But I fear he will try something reckless. You three will have to watch him.”

XXX

Donatello did work on some things that he knew he’d never get around to once the twins were born. He continued to work late and even when he turned the lights out and lay in bed listening to the sound of his brothers in bed. He knew the sounds that they made when they slept well. 

He then slowly eased out of his bed, biting back a groan when he felt his back begin to ache. He knew that he would be stopped and questioned at this hour of the night. He certainly couldn't tell his brothers he was going to do a very dangerous patrol while heavily pregnant. He knew he was being rather dumb, but he couldn’t sit back and let those monsters kidnap any more babies. 

The lair was quiet as the turtle rearranged pillows to make it look like he was asleep in his bed. Creeping down the tunnel, he was being as quiet as he possibly could. He knew he looked ridiculous as big as he was trying to sneak around. 

Taking three clumsily steps at a time, Donatello managed to make it outside the lair into the sewer tunnel. Finally free and having been unseen, the turtle ran through the darkened sewer tunnels. He ran but soon had to stop. He leaned against the wall, already tired. He knew he had to move slowly and at a steady pace. He came to the tunnel that they used as the garage for the Turtle Van. He knew without trying he couldn’t fit through a manhole anymore. Being as late as it was, he didn't have the fear of being discovered by humans as he hurried through the city streets keeping in the shadows. 

Donatello prowled around on the rooftops. He didn’t do any jumping, but took the pipes and fire escapes to get roof to roof. He stayed around downtown where there were more families. During his rests, he would study the map he had. There were red circles on the map that marked the places where the children were taken. There were no patterns. They were very random. In fact, they struck where ever there was an easy target. 

He wandered the tops until an hour before dawn. He sighed and began to head back. The twins were starting to become more active, even the less active twin. He knew he had kept them awake all night with his moving around and now they were trying to pay him back. 

By the time he snuck back into the lair, they were turning flip flops in his belly. He paused by the kitchen door and bent over a little, putting a hand to his large belly, letting out a deep groan. “Come on, little guys. Give me a break.” He said as they continued to show their displeasure. 

“What is the matter, Donatello?” 

Donatello snapped his head up. Splinter was standing front of him. His once reddish brown fur was now sporting gray around the muzzle. Other than that, gray the old rat/man still held a deep awareness in his black eyes. “Oh… heh the twins are just acting up. There’re isn’t much more room for them to move.”

“Is that all?” Splinter asked, looking closely at the turtle. 

Donatello nodded. “Yes. I think I’ll go to my laboratory." He said, hating himself to lie like that. 

Splinter nodded. “Very well. Do not forget to eat. You are not just feeding yourself, but two others.”

“I won’t forget, Master.” Donatello bowed clumsily, then hurried as fast as his tired body could carry him.

xx

It was the same thing for the next week. Donatello would sneak out and do his own patrolling. He sometimes went late at night or early in the mornings. And he felt it. The stress and the backaches became worse. One night, he was resting against a metal air conditioner. He had a green arm around his belly. The twins were expressing their displeasure to his running around and his hormonal stress levels. It had been relatively quiet during the week. The kidnappers hadn’t struck once. It was probably due to the fact that the police had increased their own patrols. 

“Guess they have those monsters concealing themselves.” He said out loud. He often conversed with the twins. They even answered sometimes with sharp jabs to his bladder or other organs. 

There was a slight pull in his lower belly for an answer. He sighed. “I’m sorry, babies. But I can’t let this rest. No child should be taken from its family. It’s atrocious. Dishonorable.” He said.

The twins finally settled down as the east horizon began to lighten. Donatello yawned and began to head back to the lair. Entering the sewers by one of Central Park’s tunnels, he began to make his way home. His back was aching, but he did feel that the extra movement that he had been putting himself through was doing him some good. It had been too long since he had had any good exercise. 

He slowly moved through the sewers. He turned to make his way into the drier and somewhat, cleaner sewer tunnel that led to the lair when something began to bother him. His ninja training taught him to trust his gut. Someone was nearby… too close for comfort… 

He spun around and drew his bo. He was not in a good mood at all. No sign of the kidnappers and being heavily pregnant and with his back hurting, he was feeling very irritable. 

“Alright, I’m not in the disposition as of now to play these games. Show your face now.” Donatello ordered, glaring into the shadows.

“Hello, Donatello.” The feminine voice sent chills through his spine.

“Sir!” Donatello spun around to try to get a fix on the source of the voice.

“Yes. I told you I’d be watching you. In fact, why are you running yourself ragged? It can’t be good for the twins.” The voice mocked.

“That is none of your concern.” Donatello said sharply.

“Oh, but it is. You are out looking for those kidnappers, aren’t you? Not very smart. What are you planning to do if you caught them? You are in a very delicate condition. I’m really disappointed in you.”

“I don’t care if you are or aren’t. This is my choice. I can’t just let them get away with this transgression,” Donatello snapped irritably. 

“You should. You have got to be really close to the due date, huh?” Sir said.

“Again, that is none of your concern. Besides, you're the one who did this to me.” Donatello began to back away.

“Oh, yes it is. But enough of that. How are you and the veterinarian’s daughter getting along? Tanya, is it?” the voice said with smudginess.

Donatello just narrowed his eyes in reply.

There was a laugh. “Yes… you two are getting very cozy with one anther. It’s cute really. Just how far are you willing to go? Do you think of her as more than a friend? And does she think of you as more than a friend?” Sir asked.

Though Donatello couldn’t see where Sir was, he swung his bo through the air as a warning. “If you do not keep quiet, I will make you!”

“Whoa. Rather defensive, aren’t you? But I’m not surprised. The mix of human DNA and male reptilian DNA, plus the hormonal stress of being expectant. Now calm down. It can’t be good for the twins, can it?” Sir said as he backed away to help calm the agitated turtle.

Donatello stopped swinging the bo through the air and took deep breaths. “What do you want?” He questioned after a few minutes.

“I found something out about the twins that you should know.” Sir said rather smugly.

“What is it?” Donatello asked on the defense again. 

“Let me ask one thing first. How do you think the twins were created?” 

Donatello blinked at the question, thought a second, then answered. “I suppose that you used human eggs and used genetic mutation and amalgamated reptilian and human DNA and covalently bonded them together. Then the legated DNA was infused into the human egg.”

“Bravo, Donatello. Exactly, I used a total of ten. Out of ten that I worked with, only two had survived the DNA merging. The merging caused the eggs to die. There was something that was missing. The reptilian and mammal DNA didn’t want to merge. We found out that the human adrenaline in the DNA strand and the reptilian cytosine kept breaking. I found that I had to use a new strand of human DNA to hold the strand together. I had to go through all human blood types to find one that would hold. It wasn’t until a few months before you were captured that I got in a new batch of blood donations. I found one that worked perfectly. On the first try, the bonds that I needed took hold perfectly. They merged and all I had to do was wait for you.” Sir told him. 

Donatello nodded his head. He understood the process that Sir told him he did. But why was he telling him now? The whole thing was done and over with. “Fine. But why are you telling me this?” 

"Because Donatello, I was looking back at the notes and noticed something. See, the twins you are carrying are actually carrying the genetic makeup of two human women. One being an anonymous donor. The other from Tanya Goodfellow.”

Donatello’s heart stopped just as his stomach did a flip-flop. “What?”

“She apparently did a blood donation about a year back and her donation was in one of the crates that I got from the blood drive. I did some checking in to the blood strand that I used and found her name, a Miss Tanya Quanisha Goodfellow. See, I found it rather amusing that you went to Dr. Jane Goodfellow, and then you and her daughter found a strong connection right off.”

Donatello stared out into the shadows. “You mean…”

Sir grinned unseen, “Yes. Miss Tanya may not be the egg donor, but with her blood donation; her blood-her DNA saved the embryos. She’s a big part of the possible existence of your twins.”

Donatello leaned heavily on his staff. It really wasn’t a big thing and yet it was. No wonder he felt slightly connected to her and she to him. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but with his ninja senses he knew that Sir was gone. Swallowing heavily, he began the journey back the rest of the way to the lair.


	20. Chapter 20

“Uh, Donatello?”

“Huh?” Donatello looked up from his belly that he had been staring at. 

Leonardo was standing in front of him. “What is the matter, bro? You’ve been acting spacey all day.”

“I have?” 

“Yep. You alright?” Leonardo asked.

“Yeah, bro. I’m just thinking.” Donatello said. “So what’s up?”

“Nothing. Raphael and Michelangelo are out and Tanya just called. She wants to know what you are doing and was wondering if you was up to going over to Queens while we did our patrol tonight?” Leonardo said.

“Tanya? Yeah, I want to go. I really need to talk to her.” Donatello said. He had some questions to ask her and he was sincerely thinking about telling her what Sir informed him earlier that day. 

Leonardo looked at his brother odd, but let it pass. “Fine. Then we’ll head over around eight tonight then.”

XXX

Donatello found himself staring up at the rusty red brick building that Jane and Tanya called home. Like before, Tanya was leaning by the door, the outside light on. She wasn’t reading, but was just staring off into the distance. Her outfit consisted of a green dress that went to her knees and black tights. The old ratty fedora that Donatello had given her was still sitting on her head. She looked up when she heard the van pull up. Her round face lit up with a smile. “Hey, guys.” She greeted them.

“Hey Tanya,” Leonardo waved to her. 

The passenger door opened and Donatello slid out. He looked up at Tanya and smiled a bit. Waving back to his brothers, he followed Tanya inside.

“Mom’s at a meeting and I opted out of it. It wasn’t really mandatory for me to be there so I decided to use this time to see how you were doing. I figured you might want to get out while the others were on the patrol.” Tanya said as she led Donatello into the living room. 

“I was rather glad you called. I needed to talk to you.” Donatello said as he struggled down into the couch. Tanya sat down in a high backed chair across from him. She had a slight smile on her round face while she waited for him to get settled. “Well, what is it?”

Donatello took a deep breath and told her all about Sir and the first visit he did right after Donatello almost had a miscarriage. He winced when he saw Tanya’s black eyes darken.

“Tanya, please, don't be angry.”

“Why should I be angry? You've lied to me, to my mother, to your brothers, and to Master Splinter! Don’t you realize that he could’ve done more than just talk to you?”

Donatello nodded. “Yes. It was reckless, but I had a feeling that Sir was telling the truth. But… there's more.”

“More?”

“He came back today. He told me how he used ten human donor eggs and only two survived the genetic processing. That the merging caused the eggs to die. That there was something that was missing. The reptilian and mammal DNA didn’t want to merge. He said that he found out that the human adenine in the DNA strand and the reptilian cytosine kept breaking. He had to use a new strand of human DNA to hold the strand together. He found one that worked perfectly. They fused. Tanya, he told me that the twins are carrying the genetic makeup of two human women. One being an anonymous donor. The other from you.” 

Tanya’s mouth dropped. “What? Oh, my God! But… but how? How would this guy get a hold of my blood?!”

Donatello sighed. “About a year back, were you here visiting Jane?”

Tanya thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. During Christmas. I was here for two weeks.” 

“And did you do any blood donations?” 

Tanya gasped and put a hand to her mouth. “Oh god. I did. There was a blood drive at a church. It was the first time. I do it every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here and in Los Angelos. He got a hold of my blood?”

Donatello nodded, “Yes. When you did that donation, he took that blood and used part of your DNA strand to hold the human adenine in the DNA strand and the reptilian cytosine together. All together you are a big part of the existence of my twins.”

Tanya stared at him, wide eyed. “Wow. This-this is a lot to take in.”

Donatello nodded. “I thought so moreover.”

Tanya bit her lip. “So what now? What do you want to do? Have you told your brothers? Splinter? You telling my mom?”

“I felt I should tell you first. But yes, I’m going to tell them. I wonder what they’re going to say?”

Xxx

“It figures.” Raphael snorted. 

Leonardo looked over to the red clad turtle, “What do you mean?” 

“Only that that Sir dude decided that messing with Donatello wasn’t enough, he decided to mess with Tanya!” He began to laugh suddenly. “This is actually perfect! No wonder Donatello and Tanya are totally crushing on another! She’s part of this too!”

Michelangelo began to laugh as well. Leonardo cracked a smile.

Donatello frowned as a blush began to form on his cheeks. “Guys, this isn’t funny!”

Splinter nodded his head. “Donatello is right.” He just shook his head when the turtles continued to laugh. He turned to Donatello. “What did Miss Tanya say?”

“She told me that she didn’t mind at all. That we’ll see how this progresses. In honesty, neither of us is sure what to do. In a way, the twins are a part of her as they are of me. I mean if Sir was telling the truth about what he did, then it was her DNA that saved them. And now at this point, I am grateful.”

“Donatello, tell me, have you been sneaking out?” Splinter asked.

Donatello found he could not lie. “Yes. I’ve been doing patrols.”

“Why? It's because you were hoping to try to catch those criminals?” Leonardo asked.

Donatello nodded. “Yes.”

“Why would you do that? You're in no condition to do that. What if something happened?” Leonardo said.

“Nothing did. I guess I was just so angry that no one was able to do anything. That I wasn’t thinking.” 

"Apparently,” Raphael snorted. “Well, we’re thinking now and we’re thinking that you should turn right around and go to bed.”

“But-”

“Come on, bro. You’re too close to D-day that you need to take it easy. Besides, the bad dudes haven’t taken any babies in the last week.” Michelangelo said.

Donatello sighed, knowing that they wouldn’t move. He wouldn’t meet the gazes of them. He felt hands on his shoulders. They turned him around and not too gently, pushed him back toward his bed. 

“We will stand by the lair’s door if that is what it will take, but I think we would rather be in bed ourselves. Can we trust you not to try to sneak out again?” Leonardo said as he slightly pushed Donatello toward his bed.

“Ok, ok. Fine. I’ll be good.” Donatello said as he broke away and headed straight to the bed. He sat down and heaved a great sigh. He looked back up at Leonardo. His brother had his arms crossed and was staring back down at Donatello. 

“Thanks, bro.”

Leonardo cracked a smile that looked like his old self. “No prob, bro.”

Once he had fallen asleep shortly after being forced back into going to bed, he did have a bad dream that the criminals had gotten a hold of his babies. He woke up panting hard and looking down at his belly. He rubbed it, making himself sure that his little ones were still safe inside him. It was also that time of night when they would act up. 

The active one kicked him hard in one of the organs and it made him wince. And it had upset the less active one too because it kicked out too. Donatello laid back down and rubbed his belly, trying to get them to calm down. He was just glad they were safe, but still felt sorry for those families.


	21. Chapter 21

The rest of the week was indeed hard on Donatello. All of them kept an eye on him. He wasn’t completely under house arrest, but someone was always with him when he left the lair. It wasn’t until he actually stopped and saw how all the extra movement had been taking its toll on him.

Once he stopped moving, he noticed that his back was hurting more and that his ankles were swollen and achy. He had read that was normal, but it was still something to see. He had to sit down and get his legs supported to help the swelling to go down in his ankles. 

What was also hard was that there was another kidnapping. It was all that Donatello could do not to rush back out. He heaved another sigh. His back was hurting more then usual that day. It felt like a slight pulling in through his belly and out through his back. It didn’t hurt, but it was uncomfortable. It had started earlier that morning, five days after he was caught trying to sneak out. It was now the first of May.

He squirmed on the couch, trying to get comfortable. There was some silly monster movie on and Tanya had come over to visit. She loved the cheesy horror movies. She saw them more along the line of comedy, although at the moment, she was studying the book she had open in her lap. His brothers were sitting around the TV, leaving the couch for Donatello and Tanya. 

Tanya looked over at Donatello again. He noticed this and tried to sit still, but the pulling started again and he moved. She opened her mouth to say something when the movie was interrupted. 

“This is Carol Sapp for news channel 3 with the latest breaking news. The strand of kidnappings that has plagued the city just may be at its end. Due to heavy lockdown on homes with infants, the ones that have brought this fear to our city had apparently became desperate. They attacked an eight-month along pregnant woman. After subduing her, they attempted to cut the unborn child out of her womb. Hearing her screams, people alerted the police. The suspects ran and the police are now pursuing. Let’s go live to Rick Webb. Rick?”

The scene on the TV shifted and the newscaster was above the city in a helicopter. He began to tell the people watching that the suspects were on foot running through Central Park. That there were three. Two men and a woman.

Donatello jumped up, forgetting the uncomfortable pulling in his back and belly. “Come on! We can get them! They're right there!” 

His brothers lunged for him, but Tanya was closer. She dropped the thick book with a heavy thud and dove at him. She tackled him back down onto the couch and sat on his legs. “Oh no you don’t! You aren’t moving.”

Donatello looked at her in shock, then shook his head. “I have to! We need to do something!”

Tanya leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Donatello’s big belly and brought her face closer to his. She wasn’t putting any weight on his belly, but she still kept him from moving. “Please Donatello… you can’t. The police will catch them. If you go out there, something may happen and I don’t want anything to happen to you or the twins, because I love them… I love you!”

There were gasps all round, but both Donatello and Tanya ignored them. “What?”

“I love you. Call me strange or what, but I don’t care. I love the twins and you.” Tanya said, her black eyes darker then normal.

Donatello started to answer when there was shout from the TV. All eyes turned to it and a huge weight was lifted. The police had caught the three humans. They watched as they were slammed into the ground and handcuffed. 

The three turtles, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael let out a cheer. Donatello turned his eyes back to Tanya. She was grinning in happiness and Donatello began to meet her grin. He opened his own mouth, but it turned into a wince. "Ow!" He put a hand to his stomach. 

Tanya sat back. “Donatello?”

He grimaced as the pain hit him. “I think I’m in labor…”

"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted.


	22. Chapter 22

“WHAT?!” Michelangelo screeched, making everyone flinch.

“Ok, Donatello, what makes you think you’re in labor?” Tanya said gently, looking Donatello straight in the eye. 

“All day, I’ve have these strange achy pulls through my stomach and out my back,” he said as he winced as another roll of pain washed over him.

“Ok, stay there so I can feel your belly.” Tanya’s normal playful voice took a serious and a commanding one. 

Donatello stayed where he was and winced only slightly as Tanya pressed around on his belly. “The belly is tight and if it is labor, then another contraction will be around shortly.” She kept a hand flat on his breathing and within ten minutes, she felt the rippling of belly muscles under her hand as the contraction rode out. 

Donatello let out a grunt as he rode the wave of pain.

Tanya nodded, “Yep. It’s time. Ok, Leonardo you call Mom. Tell her to set the clinic up for an emergency c-section for tonight. That it’s time. And you Raphael, call April. She has been wanting to know.” She looked at the turtles that were still standing there in shock. “What are you waiting for? Move, move, move!” 

The turtles began to scramble around to do the tasks she set them to. “Michelangelo, go get the Turtle Van ready. Donatello will want to lay down on the drive there.”

“Right on, dudette.” He gave her a thumbs up and rushed off.

Tanya smiled, then turned back to Donatello. She had slipped off the couch and was on her knees beside Donatello.

“Another contraction?”

He nodded. The muscles slowly tightened, and then suddenly lunged into full pain, causing him to inhale sharply and cringe. Then it backed off.

“Level your breaths, Donatello. Use the Lamaze that we’ve been practicing,” Tanya advised softly. 

Donatello nodded again and began the breathing. They helped and when the next one came, he was able to ride it out with some extent ease. “I-I thought it would take longer. To get to the point, this is rather fast.”

“I know, I know, but everything so far is fine and happening normally. But right now, just try to relax. We’ll be at the clinic shortly and give you something for the pain before we do the c-section."

About five minutes later, the other turtles came back and announced that April was called and Jane was on her way to the clinic. Tanya nodded. “Good. As soon as Michelangelo comes back, we'll begin to help Donatello to the van.”

It didn’t take long. As soon as Michelangelo came back, they helped Donatello up and with Tanya, Master Splinter, and Michelangelo leading the way, and Leonardo and Raphael helping Donatello along, the trip through the tunnels was a long and annoying one. 

The Turtle Van was already started like Tanya had told Michelangelo to do. They helped Donatello in through the double doors. Leonardo hurried around to the driver’s side and the others followed. Tanya and Splinter sat in the back with him. Tanya lifted Donatello’s head and slid the pillow under it that Master Splinter had thoughtfully brought.

Donatello squirmed and writhed uncomfortably on the floor of the van. His head rolled restlessly on Tanya’s shoulder as she sat beside him.

"You’re doing great," she said as calmly and as gently as she could. 

"Really?" Donatello asked meekly. "I don't feel great."

"I’m sure," Tanya said with a smile.

Donatello started to return the smile, but his eyes widened as he was hit with another contraction.

"Here comes another one!" Tanya said as she held Donatello’s head. 

“Isn’t his labor going fast?” Leonardo asked from up front. 

Tanya nodded, “Yes. But we have to take in consideration that he is not completely human. But even as fast as it’s going, everything still looks fine.”

“How much longer does he have?” Master Splinter said as he watched Donatello wince as Leonardo took a fast turn. 

Tanya looked down at her watch. "He’s getting closer."

“So are we!” Raphael shouted from up front. “We’re pulling in now!”

The next few minutes were a blur. As soon as the van stopped, the back doors flew open and Jane was there, as was April. Worry and anxiety was crossing April’s face. With help, they got Donatello on the stretcher that they had. Jane rolled Donatello into the clinic, everyone following. 

”Is the room prepped?” Tanya asked her mother.

“Yeah, it's prepped.” Jane took over pushing Donatello into the operating room.

April rushed forward, wringing her hands, “Please, let me do something!”

Tanya stayed behind for a second and took April’s hand. She looked up into the tall, older woman’s face. “Calm down.” She then looked over at the others, at the turtles and at the rat. “Look. This is dangerous, both for Donatello and the twins. We don't know what's gonna happen. There's nothing you can do. Just wait with the boys, okay?”

Suddenly there was a scream of pain. Tanya’s eyes widened and turned and rushed into the room.

April turned to the others. “Oh, I’m so worried.” She sank down into a chair. Jane’s office was closer to the operating room so they were all waiting there. 

Splinter nodded. “We all are.”

XXX

When Tanya entered the room, her mother already had an IV started. Tanya finished straightening her scrubs, then headed to the sink to scrub her hands. She looked over to her mother. “With his carapace, we can’t do the epidural or spinal block. You think general anesthesia will do?”

Jane nodded. “Yes. I would perform the spinal block, but that can’t be helped. You talk to him while I set it up. I already gave him something to take the edge off.”

Tanya nodded. She walked over to where Donatello was resting from the contractions. “Hey. So I want you to know what’s going on. I know that you want to be awake for this, but it is best that you are completely under.”

Donatello looked up at her and winced. “There is no way I can be awake?”

Tanya shook her head, “No. Where you have your carapace, we can’t do an epidural or spinal block. Plus, we have to cut through the skin between the scutes.” 

Donatello nodded and listened to the sounds of the various monitors in place to keep an eye on his heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. He was still uncomfortable, but he was no longer stressed from the painful contractions. He watched curiously as Tanya began to hook up oxygen tubes. 

Tanya came back with a tube. “This is going to be rather uncomfortable. There is no mask that will fit over your mouth and beak, so this will have to go into your nostrils to give you oxygen. It doesn’t hurt and soon, you won’t even notice.”

Donatello nodded and wrinkled his nose up at first after Tanya placed the tube over his head and inserted the two short tubes in his nose. Soon though, he ignored it. Tanya then disappeared from view and Jane came into view. She picked up the hand that had the IV drip in it. “Ok, Donatello. I want you to just try and stay calm. You will now go to sleep. We will be able to wake you up when it’s all done and over with, then you’ll be able to see your babies. Okay. Here we go. Just relax.” 

Donatello nodded and Jane injected a fluid into the IV tubing. “Thanks, Jane.” He said as the drug took effect and blackness settled in.

Tanya went back and checked him over. “He’s out. Let’s begin.” 

Jane nodded and took a hold of the scalpel and tapped Donatello’s plastron. “I’m going to cut here at the skin vertically from right under the pectoral scute down through the abdominal scute.”

Tanya nodded and watched her mother draw the scalpel down the line of skin between the scutes on his belly. She began to blot up the line of bright red blood that rose. When Jane got to the top of the femoral line, she then began to cut the line of skin horizontally.

Again, Tanya blotted the rise of blood. After that was done, she handed Jane a few clamps. Jane took the clamps and moved the scutes back. Where they had softened during the pregnancy, the normally hard scutes moved back with relative ease. It was then Tanya’s turn. She had the smaller hands so she reached in and felt two harder sacs. They were right about the fact that the twins had been growing in a sac that was a cross between a human amniotic sac and an eggshell. It was still soft enough that the scalpel would do.

“I’m gonna cut right here.” She told her mother.

“That's good.” Jane handed the scalpel to Tanya.

Tanya made another incision in the sac, and clear fluid rose up. ”There's a lot of fluid. It’s clear. Suck it down there.” A tube was entered and the fluid was sucked up and Tanya reached back in and wrapped her hands around something small. Tanya bit her lip behind the mask and gently pulled the first twin out. 

Tanya grinned as she handed the baby to her mother. Jane began to suction the baby's mouth out, the baby protesting the entire time. It wasn’t crying, but was letting out loud fusses and grunts. Jane then clamped and cut the umbilical cord. While Jane finished cleaning the baby enough so that it would be safe to be left alone for a few more minutes,   
Tanya removed the sac and then turned to the next one. 

The process was repeated and again, Tanya reached in and removed the second twin. This one wasn’t fussing, but crying. Tanya just smiled and handed the twin to her mother. Reaching back in, Tanya made sure there was no damage done to any of the organs.

When she was satisfied, she began the task of removing the sacs that held the twins. Once that was done, her mother came back over. “I’ll take over. I’m going to use the surgical staples. Go take care of the twins.” 

Tanya peeled off the bloody gloves and then began the proper cleaning process... gently wiping the first baby down with small towels that had been dipped in warm water. Then the second.

After half an hour, her mother came back. Tanya looked over at her mother. “How’s Donatello?”

“He’s sleeping the rest of the anesthesia off. He should be awake in about half an hour to an hour. I’ll start him on a morphine drip for 2 days. So how are the twins?”

"Oh, they’re beautiful," Tanya said softly in awe as she wrapped one in blankets, her mother doing the same with the other.

Even though Jane had patched up Donatello's belly well enough following the surgery, there were also bandages in place too to make sure it all stayed in place and would help it heal better.

XX

Donatello squinted his face up as a wave of pain washed over him. He let out a groan. “I thought it was over.”

There was a small laugh. Then a soft alto voice answered him. “It is.”

This time, Donatello opened his eyes. He was in a small room in the clinic. He was lying back in a full hospital bed. “Wha?”

Again, Tanya laughed softly. “We had gotten that bed way back. Having you lay on a table would not do.”

Donatello's eyes cleared and saw a lot of balloons and a few stuffed animals. "You guys went out and got balloons?" He asked groggily.

Tanya shook her head. “Me and Mom very well couldn’t do that, could we? Your brothers did. Or at least Michelangelo and April did. The way that the others told me that they were fretting,” Tanya shook her head again. “They made them leave for a bit. They were making everyone nervous." 

Donatello shook his head, not really worried about them right now. He was more worried about…

“The twins… where are they?” He asked as he looked around.

“One second and I’ll go get them.” Tanya disappeared and was gone only one minute before she was back, pushing a hospital’s bassinet, her mother pushing another.

Donatello sat up straighter as Tanya picked up one of the bundles and handed it to him. It was tiny, only about a foot long. He gingerly took it and peeled the blanket back. He ran his eyes over the tiny turtle in his arms. 

The shell was soft, but Donatello knew it would harden over time. The head was a lot like his. In fact, other than the color and eyes, it looked a lot him. But there was the matter of the fingers. The new turtle had four fingers. Three fingers and a thumb. On both hands. The feet were the same as his though. He looked over to Tanya, who held the other. She sat down beside Donatello’s bed and held the baby out for him to see. They were both alike, yet they were not. 

Tanya grinned at him. “They’re both girls. So which name are you going to give them?”

“Which one was born first?” He asked.

Tanya smiled and pointed at the female turtle that she had pulled out first, the one she was holding. She had her nose squinted up and had a don’t-mess-with-me look. Her skin was the same green as Donatello and his brothers and the same dark brown eye color.

Donatello took her and rubbed her belly, looking at the little opening in her plastron where her belly button was. The turtle squirmed, then let out a laugh, losing her mean look. Donatello laughed to himself. “Benedetta,” he said, then handed her back to Tanya, now looking to the other. She had a calmer look on her face and was slightly smaller.

Already, Donatello guessed which one was the active twin and one that was the least active one. She was slightly smaller and had light sea green colored skin and maroon eyes. She stared up at him in a calculating look. Suddenly she smiled.

Donatello smiled back and nodded, “Carina.”

The bedroom door slowly opened and April slowly peeked inside. "Can we come in?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah, sure," Donatello said with a smile.

Tanya nodded, "Come on in and meet the girls."

April’s eyes widened, “Girls? They both girls?"

“Yep.” Donatello said proudly.

April came in, followed by everyone else. All eyes widened at the sight of the two babies. 

Tanya was holding Benedetta while Donatello was holding Carina. They responded to the attention by cooing softly and grabbing a hold of fingers with tiny fists as they gazed up at everyone through half-closed eyes. Benedetta smacked even Raphael in the nose when he bent down to look closely at her.

“While we know she’s going to be a fighter.” Michelangelo said while everyone laughed, Raphael rubbed his nose.

Master Splinter smiled softly and lightly brushed his hand over Benedetta’s head. "They truly are a precious miracle."

"Would you like to hold her?" As reluctant as he was to let go of his child, Donatello found he could not deny his sensei. He watched as Tanya carefully handed Benedetta into Splinter's waiting arms.

Visiting didn’t last much longer before Jane came back and chased everyone out. The twins were sleeping in their bassinets and Tanya was dozing herself in one of the chairs.

Donatello dozed on and off. He had already had the joy of giving the first feeding and although the girls were only a few hours old, they had already bonded to him and Tanya. It was like they knew she was also a part of them. Donatello finally woke up enough to look over at Tanya. Her thick, honey brown hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, though a lot had escaped and was laying across her face. She was curled up in one of the chairs beside him. 

He thought back to earlier that day or yesterday. He didn’t know quite yet… but he thought back to when she had told him that she loved him. In the past, he would’ve laughed, blushed, or brushed it off, not believing her. He was always suspicious of humans. 

It took a long time for him to completely trust April, others it didn’t take as long, but there was always the suspicion. But looking at Tanya and what they had been through… it might be possible to get together with a human. Plus, his daughters had already bonded with her and they would need a mother figure in their lives. Splinter was good enough for him and his brothers, but he wanted more for his daughters.

“Tanya," he whispered, so not to wake the babies. 

“Hmmm?” Tanya woke up. She blinked and looked around. “Donatello? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. But I need to talk to you.” Donatello whispered back. 

Tanya blinked again. “Ok.” She slid up on the bed beside Donatello, careful not to jar him, and so that they could continue to talk softly. By now, he could feel the bandages around his middle.

“Tanya, remember when you said that you loved me… was that to stop me, or was that real?” Donatello asked.

“That was to stop you… and it was the truth. It may be strange, but I do and I’m not going to try to over analyze it. I’ve already tried and just ended up with a headache.”

“Tanya. Then I guess I better answer you. I… love you too. I’m not asking you to marry me. Not yet anyway, but I want you there, with me and for the twins. Our twins. So could we give it a chance?”

“Oh, yeah.” Tanya smiled and hugged Donatello gently, then pressed her lips to his beak.

Suddenly, the door opened and Michelangelo and Raphael came in. Thankfully, they were quiet so that they didn’t wake the twins.

“Hey bro, guess what-" Raphael was cut off when he saw Tanya and Donatello kissing. He clapped a hand to his mouth and tried not to laugh as the two ignored them.

Michelangelo did the same. “Oh, so I guess we’ll leave you two alone then.” He tossed a newspaper onto the foot of the bed and they both backed out.

If Donatello and Tanya cared to look at the paper, they would see that the headline news was that all kidnapped babies were found, safe and sound. All were being returned to their families.

XXX

Donatello and his daughters were kept at the clinic for about 4 days following the surgery. He had been on morphine to control any pain. Both girls were doing fine. Someone still stayed with Donatello while he was there. Of course, Tanya was there a lot too. 

She and Donatello were going to be a couple and try to be good parents to the twins. 

After the surgery, his belly had gone down to just about what it was before his pregnancy, but there was a little bit of 'baby fat' left. He knew he would lose it in time when he recovered. 

After the 4th day, Donatello, Carina, and Benedetta all went back home to the sewers. Donatello was more than happy to finally lay his daughters in the beds he had made for them months ago. They looked like little angels as they slept. He smiled at them. 

Now that he had had them, Donatello just really hoped Sir wouldn't come back. But if one thing was for sure, though he was more than happy to have become a father, Donatello was just really happy that he wasn't pregnant anymore. 

And as hard as their lives could be, he would be the best father that he could be, with the help of his family. 

The End


End file.
